Prerogative
by Faery Goddyss
Summary: Suppose in the final battle Vash didnt win that fight? Suppose it was Knives? UPDATED Chapter 12!
1. Beautiful Disaster

**Prerogative**

Disclaimer: From here, till the end I own nothing related to Trigun, except maybe the original characters I create for necessary purposes.

**AN**: I'm so glad that everyone seems to like this idea! I cant believe that no one has done it before either, and I'm kind of nervous at how well I'll carry it through. So here is the full, chapter one, version of Prerogative. This is probably going to be the hardest thing I write since its not cliche, therefore updates can range from a few days to a few months. Anyway, read on!

* * *

_Beautiful Disaster_

Knives cracked his neck and his back before looking at the heap of flesh that was his brother. The final battle was over and he had triumphed. "As expected." He said out loud to himself.

Vash wasn't dead just unconscious, but Knives was contemplating the thought of truly doing his brother in.

'I'd be a nice change of pace not having to hear his love and peace crap any longer. But, then again.' He looked at the mess his brother was. Blood everywhere, his silver gun empty of its bullets and the cursed red coat torn to shreds. Knives sighed. 'I'm too nice to you brother. Not even I can kill my only family. And who knows, maybe you'll start to see things my way.'

Knives thought it, but he sure as hell didn't believe it. He knew defeating Vash wouldn't change how his twin felt about his darling spiders, but at least now Vash knew he could never stop Knives from what he meant to do.

Racing a hand through his hair Knives sat back down at the table under the tree that had not been disturbed from the fight between his other half. There was even a bit of red wine left in his glass. Giving it a swirl and small sniff he held it up towards his brother's motionless body.

"To new beginnings." He downed the last of it before smashing the glass at his side. He stretched and walked over to his brother, and picked up his gun. He inspected it and frowned. "You _would_ let the only gift I've ever given you rot."

He slipped Vash's gun next to his own. "Cant have you try to turn on me again, can we?" He asked him. "Oh Vash." He started again, shaking his head. "Didn't Rem teach you its impolite not to answer someone when they ask you a question?"

Knives laughed as he erected himself to his full height. He looked around. Desert everywhere.

"I hate this planet. It's a waste hole now, but once I'm done with it, it'll be a lush Eden Vash. Of course I'll let you live and stay with me. We are brothers, even if you do always try to kill me. I don't hold it against you...too much."

"What's that?" Knives asked as a sudden image flashed through his brother's mind. Two females, one tall and brunette, the other short with raven colored hair.

"Ah, isn't that the human bitches who follow you like lost creatures? I've just shot you Vash and you're thinking of humans?ཀ It's always them before me isn't it? No matter. Since they seem to be a hot topic on your unconscious mind I see no reason not to pay them a visit, and let them know you've lost and I've won. What do you think of that Vash? Won't that be fun?"

Knives smirked and gathered his brother's body in his arms. "Yes, this will be fun. What will they say once they see your condition? And then what should I do? Terrorize them as I force you to watch? Ah, decisions, but one thing is certain."

Knives gave a malicious eerie smile. "I'll make sure you're the one that pulls the trigger on them."

-

The town in his brothers mind was clear. Knives knew exactly where to find it and knew the best route to get there. Vash's mind left no detail behind.

"I expect I'll get there by sundown at the latest Knives said aloud. "By sundown..." He repeated to himself. He gave an annoyed exhale before dropping his brother on the sandy turf. Carefully eyeing Vash to make sure he was still unconscious Knives turned his back on him and walked a few paces away. He stopped, then turned to glace at his brother again. Doing this a few more times before he approved of the distance between them he fell to his knees and began a series of deep breathing. Alternating between those and sharp intakes of breath.

_Pain. Pain. Unbearable Pain._

"Noཀ" Knives cried out before clamping his mouth shut and whipping his head towards Vash. Still out of it.

Knives winced and drew his eyes to his left shoulder. Drenched in blood, he could still feel the bullet that had pierced his skin.

He had been trying to ignore it. Putting on a believable facade for himself. He had held back, bit his own lip when picking up Vash. The movement in his arms caused the bullet to shift uncomfortably. He could feel the small oval piece of metal shift with every step he had taken with his brother in his arms. And now his lip was swollen and bleeding from the pressure he had put on it trying to restrain himself from crying out.

Merely licking the blood on his lip away with his tongue, ignoring the sting the saliva caused he focused, or tried not to, focus on the open gash in his shoulder.

'You know how much I loathe pain Vash. How could you?' He thought with a twinge of hatred. He calmed himself.

"It has to come out," he said, referring to the bullet. It had to come out but he didn't want to be the one to take it out. 'It'll hurt.,' he thought.

Knives raised his head to the blue sky and closed his eyes. He felt around his side pocket and slowly put his hand in, at once feeling a sharp prick. Pulling out his hand he extracted a shard of glass. It had flown in when he had smashed his wine glass.

He lolled his head to the side to get a look, once again, at his other half. Unchanged, expect for a thin layer of sand covering his body. The winds were picking up. He ignored them.

Returning his gaze to the sky he examined the shard with his free hand. It was pretty sharp, dull on the other side. That part could be used as a handle. The whole piece was gritty. He hesitated for a moment over sanitation matters but quickly dropped it.

Fixing his eyes on his shoulder he looked at the bullet. It wasn't dug in too deep. It hadn't been a direct shot, but still...

Holding on tightly to the dull side of the glass shard, Knives took in a final shaky breath and thrust the sharp end into his open wound. He couldn't help but to let out a pained cry, but he made sure to muffle it as much as possible still faintly aware of Vash's presence.

He couldn't let Vash ever know of how much the pain weakened him. He couldn't. He could not.

Amongst the pain of cutting himself open he realized he wasn't getting the bullet. If anything he was shoving it further back into his shoulder. He started to retract the glass but willed it back in.

'I will not do this a second time.' He managed to think. After a lot of clumsy maneuvering he managed to flick the bullet out and flung the glass piece after it, letting it fall into the hot sand. He clutched his shoulder with his good arm moaning in pain. No longer caring if Vash heard or not. The bullet may have been out but he himself had created a bigger cut from thrashing after it with the glass fragment.

He scrunched his body together trying to suppress the rawness he felt.

'It will subside.' He thought to trying to soothe himself. 'It will subside.'

It wasn't subsiding.

"It_ will _subside!" He yelled out loud.

After a long while when the pain hadn't subsided so much as he had gotten more adjusted to it, Knives staggered up and walked slowly towards his twin. He tore a piece of the garment Rem had made his brother, ripping it off and wrapping his shoulder as best as he could. Wincing all the while.

"Its not like _you_ need it," he said to Vash at once seeing the shots he had fired at him. "As part of your punishment Vash, those bullets will stay in you for the time being. When you wake I hope it's a reminder of what you caused me." He bent over his brother brushing the sand off his face gently. "This'll be the least of your punishments Vash. I will forgive you in time, that is inevitable, but it will take time."

Images of the two women from before flashed in Vash's mind.

"Yes, that's right Vash. They will be a factor in your punishments. And I don't want to keep them waiting but...," Knives sat and leaned against his brothers body. "I couldn't carry you. Not in my condition. My shoulder... it hurts Vash. It hurts a lot."

Knives' eyes fluttered. "Just wait until I'm better, then you'll pay. Then we'll have fun with your spiders. Lots of fun..."

His voice lost its venom as he got weaker and his eyes failed in staying open and alert. When he awoke his shoulder was numb and the pain had finally subsided to a dull twinge. Night had fallen and he stood, disgusted brushing the sand off himself. Knives had always prided himself on his cleanliness.

"Now I'm no better than a human." He spat out. Remembering his brother he looked down.

"While I prefer you in this state Vash, part of me wishes you'd wake up. After all, we are in the middle of nowhere and I can't carry you. Sometimes you're more trouble than you're worth."

Knives took a look around. The scenery had not changed and he thought hard of what to do. His ears perked, something was coming. "Something man made." He said out loud. Then he saw it. An old Jeep was headed in his direction. Knives smiled. "Perfect." He quickly looked over himself then his brother. He frowned and bent down, quickly tearing the remains of the red cloak off his brother. "This will only bring us unnecessary trouble." He let the wind carry the remains away.

He remembered the bit of red that he had used as a bandage for his shoulder, but shrugged it off. "It's red and so is my blood, they wont think anything of it."

The loud roaring contraption must have seen Knives or at least the flaming red coat that was flying away in the wind because it slowed as it neared them. Coming to a complete stop in front of Knives. The door opened and out stepped a young woman from the passengers side and a young man from the drivers side.

The young woman had a short stature and long brunette hair that was tied back. With her piercing violet eyes she gave off a look of concern. The man was tall, but not as tall as Knives or Vash. His dark brown hair was cut short and his matching dark brown eyes were filled with suspicion as he gazed at the two plants. One unconscious and the other, while wounded, looked to be in far better condition.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay sir?" Asked the young woman. She began to look over Knives but her eyes caught Vash. "My goodness, is _he_ okay? What's happened?"

"Keep your distanceཀ" The young man said to his companion. He at once didn't trust Knives, and Knives could see that easily enough.

"You will take my brother. I will pick him up from you in a few weeks time." Knives commanded.

Both the young man and woman raised a brow in surprise but found themselves nodding against their will. "Yes, Master." They replied in unison.

Knives watched them load his brother into the back of the Jeep carefully. They gave him a short bow before taking off with Vash, and with a rumble and spurt of the engine they left. Knives stood and watched them disappear into the sandy waste.

"I hate to part from you Vash, but this is best for now. They will look after you as my newest puppets while I take care of some business."

Turning in the opposite direction the Jeep went Knives walked off, heading for a very distant town that would be a few days walk.

-

**Weeks later...**

Vash yawned and stretched his muscles. He had been having a great dream but the smell of food woke him from his sleep. The bullet wounds caused from his brother was healing well, but Vash tended to rip them open when he thought he was "perfectly better."

It had been weeks since the final battle between Knives, and like all the other mornings before this one Vash wondered where his brother was, and when he would be back. He was more than aware that when he awoke for the first time after being hit unconscious that he had lost.

The first few thoughts of it were absolute fear. What was to happen now? He was supposed to win those fights, but he was so badly injured he couldn't even walk for the longest of times. He was scared for every person on Gunsmoke, and most worried about the Insurance Girls. He hadn't exactly promised he'd be back, but it was implied. It was also implied that he would be returning with a defeated sibling.

He did not know of what was going on in the outside world. Alex and Alicia had told him everything was as normal as could be, but Vash knew they weren't to be trusted. They were under Knives' influences. His brother had made sure that no ordinary humans were caring for him.

And yet, they were both so kind. There were moments in which he could have sworn they had been free from the brain washing down by his other half, but their eyes would quickly be glassed over with the fake facade.

"Morning Vash."

Vash jumped and turned his head to the open window. There was Knives leaning against the frame inside his room. 'When had he gotten in'? Vash thought to himself.

"Just now," his brother said reading his mind. "You would have heard but you were off day dreaming about where I've been and of the two humans."

Vash frowned. He didn't like Knives reading his mind, entering it without permission as if it was his own.

Something clicked in his head.

"Where are Alex and Alicia?" He asked Knives.

"Is that their names?" Knives paused. "I had not bothered to figure it out."

"Where are they Knives?" Vash chided his brother.

"At the moment they've decided to commit suicide."

Two loud shots rang out.

Vash gasped.

"Tragic isn't it?" Knives smiled, but his eyes relayed no emotion.

Vash started to pant, water forming in his eyes. "You didn't have to kill them Knives."

"No, I did. Now calm yourself, don't get so worked up." Knives walked further into the room looking over its furnishings and his brothers condition.

"They treated you with great respect and care. As I told them too."

Vash attempted to stand and lunge towards his brother in anger but he did not get an inch closer to him before Knives threw him back down with his left foot.

The equally magnified anger in Knives formed. "Hey, I kept you alive I could have killed youཀ Do not turn on me againཀ" Knives calmed. "Now come on. We're leaving."

Vash didn't move, but looked down at his hands. Watching the tears drop on them. "I don't want to go with you Knives. I want you to stop this, please." He looked up at him to see that his brothers eyes were fueled in disgust and that his hands were clenched tightly.

"After all we have been through, you still want to defy me?" Knives managed to seethe out. "Well I suppose you don't have to come with me, that can be your choice, but you also know there is no stopping me."

Still looking at his hands Vash's eyes widened. Knives was right. Vash now knew his brother was stronger than he was. That last fight had proved that. How could he stop him now?

Silence reigned between the two plants, and moments ticked on.

"Where have you been?" Vash finally asked.

Knives smiled. "I'm glad you have asked. But I would rather show you. I made sure the puppets never let you outside and see beyond the windows of this dwelling for a good reason."

Vash's heart tightened. 'What has he done?' He thought.

"If you are to see, that means you agree to go with me, and abide by my rules."

Vash shook his head immediately. "I'll go with you, but I wont abide by your rules."

Knives weighed his options. "Fine, let's go."

* * *

**AN**: This is already taking a different direction than I had planned. Oh well. Please review, and ideas are _more_ than welcome. Any volunteers for writing the 2nd chapter? Any at all? No, I'm just kidding. ;)

Yours Truly,  
_Faery Goddyss :)  
_


	2. A Certain Shade of Blue

**Prerogative**

_  
A Certain Shade of Blue_

Following Knives out of the house Vash looked around at the bustling town, trying to keep the fear he felt for every living human contained within. People brushed by him, some unnoticing, some murmuring polite hellos.

While he constantly bumped into people due to his staggering walk, Knives walked swiftly in a straight direction, somehow managing to avoid all contact with them. Vash was finding it hard to follow his fully energized brother and Knives didn't seem to take any notice that he was lagging behind. Finally clear of the main crowds Vash called out.

"Where are we going?!"

Knives didn't stop but he turned his head. "I already told you I wanted to show you, not tell you. Now do try and keep up."

Vash marveled secretly that his twin had been able to turn, still walk in a straight line and not manage to hit anyone. It didn't seem he was a part of the crowd at all. As if he wasn't really there.

When they reached the desert and were far enough into it that nothing could be seen from any direction Knives stopped, and slowly turned to face Vash who had stopped abruptly.

"Why are we stopping here?" Vash asked, looking around at the vast nothingness that didn't include sand.

Knives didn't say anything for second as he cocked his head to the side, studying his brother.

"I'm sorry to say that I don't exactly trust you yet Vash. You have betrayed me one to many times. Why is it that you cannot be more like Legato?"

"You mean could not?"

"What?" Knives asked dully.

"You're talking as if he's still alive." Vash's voice strained as he continued. "Why did you make me kill him Knives? Why?"

Knives' eyes darted to the side as he refused to reply. He took a few steps towards Vash. "Focus on what is at hand Vash, and that is I cant risk showing you exactly where were going, you're going to have to sleep the remainder of the way."

"What? But I'm not-" Vash was cut off as Knives swiftly knocked the side of his neck. Crumbling, Knives quickly caught his brothers limp body and begun humming as he lifted him and walked towards his destination.

-

He released a loud yawn stretching his tired limbs and licking his cracked lips. Running a hand through his dishevelled blond locks Vash took in his surroundings tiredly.

'What a nice day,' he thought. 'The suns are high in the clear blueness of the sky, the grass is fresh and dewy, the flowers are in full bloom, the-' He stopped mid thought when he realized there were a few things wrong about what he had just thought.

"Grass?" He said quietly in awe. "Flowers? Where am I?"

He peered up at the suns, and noticed a dark shadow to the corner. Sitting up he saw why everything was so abnormal. He wasn't in the desert anymore. It was a large expansive geo plant.

"Good you're up, I didn't think you would be knocked out for that long," came the unmistakable sound of his other half. Knives emerged from the shadows and sat down beside Vash in the greenery, laying down in the dew and giving out a long exhale of contentment.

"Yeah well I wouldn't have been if you hadn't knocked me out," Vash's faint irritation went unnoticed by Knives.

"Gorgeous isnt it?" He murmured breathing in the fresh air that the geo plant created.

"It is." Vash could not disagree. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"

"Yes. This is a small encased geo plant. A model for what I plan to infuse the rest of the planet with. Does it look familiar? It should, it's a representation of that recreation room from that atrocious SEEDS ship."

Vash looked more closely and realized what his brother said was true. The bushes, the grass, the trees and the flowers were replicas of what he could faintly remember for the rec room.

He spoke slowly, he had to take advantage of his brothers relaxed state. "The whole planet of Gunsmoke will look like this?"

"Yes."

Vash watched as Knives got even more comfortable and placed his hands behind his head as he lay, his face up towards the open roof of the sky, closing his eyes.

"How do the... people fit into this?"

Vash could see his brother tense but other than that, he didn't change.

"They don't Vash. Why would you ask such a thing?" It was a rhetorical question and Vash knew this but he pressed the matter while he felt he had the chance too.

"I don't think you ought to kill them-" He barely got to start his case that had been playing in his head for as long as he could remember.

"An old argument Vash. I've heard it before and if you would be so kind as to not replay it. Nothing will change my mind in what I mean to do. Nothing. Especially not your uninteresting speech regarding the preservation of humans."

Knives didn't have to open his eyes to feel the frustration that flowed through his brothers veins. He could "see" Vash's clenched muscles, the biting of the lip, the looking around as if an answer to his problems would jump out at him.

"I am doing this for us," Knives whispered. "Why don't you understand that?"

"I do, and maybe I don't want it, if this is how its going to be done. There are people you want to kill that I care about Knives. Do really expect me to step back and let you do them in?"

"Don't look as I do it."

"_Don't_ be crass about it!"

Knives opened his eyes and straightened the upper half of his body so that he was leaning against his elbows. "Tell me, what did you imagine would have happened if I had lost that last fight?" He let a dark smirk escape. "That I would wake up and see the errors of my ways?"

"You did. So naive Vash. The only thing accomplished would be you discovering how ruthless you truly are. You wouldn't have been so unlike me after all. I wouldn't have changed, do you honestly think you could have forced me to share your ideals? Foolish."

"Don't insult me Knives."

"You had it coming." Knives erected himself and placed his hands on his hips looking around.

"...When are you going to start making the planet as lush as this geo?" Vash asked looking up at Knives.

"Once I've disposed of the humans. But they need to be eliminated slowly."

"Why slow?"

Knives blinked hard and gave his brother a stone faced look. "All of a sudden you want them annihilated quickly?"

"Of course not, its just not in you to take such slow action when all your stages have been completed."

"Yes... well the planet needs time to transition itself. The bodies will need to decompose. We cant have dead bodies polluting the planet all at once can we? It'd be most unattractive, not to mention I cant really stand the smell of their rotting flesh."

Vash didn't want to know how his brother knew what a rotted corpse smelled like.

"It's going to be a long process Vash, such a nature will require constant love and devotion." Vash watched as his brother knelt down beside a yellow flower with white speckles, and gently brushed his hands over the light petals.

"But first we need to eliminate the tainted images in your head. You'll work better with a clean slate."

Vash gripped the grass tightly, pulling some of the strains loose. "Which images are you talking about?"

"Meryl Stryfe and Millie Thompson of course. I never did get to properly introduce myself to them. And they are awfully worried about you Vash. It's been a couple of months since they last heard from you." Knives smiled.

"Cant you leave them out of this?" Vash clenched out his question through his tightly clamped teeth.

"Leave such important beings in your life out of all this? _Nonsens_e Vash."

"If you do anything to hurt them, I'll-"

The laughter emanating from Knives' core stopped Vash. He watched as his brother's laughter over took him. Knives held his stomach tightly, tears falling from his face as the comedy of it all consumed him.

"You'll...," he continued to laugh trying hard to control himself. "You'll do what?" The laughter broke in abruptness and a tense silence washed over the plant angels as they gazed at one another. Knives' face had lost all traces of the seeming happiness of laughter he had just felt. His face wore no emotion and Vash gazed back just as emotionless.

Knives began to walk towards his brother, Vash held his ground refusing to move but Knives had no intention of stopping in front of his brother. He walked past him, whispering a note in his ear before being swallowed up by the shadow behind him.

"I win, and you lose. The prize? My version of a perfect world. We'll leave tomorrow."

When Vash turned to retort he found his brother gone. Inspecting the shadow that covered a fourth of the geo planet he found no traces of where Knives could have gone too. He sighed to himself and thought, 'What a beautiful disaster all this is.'

-

Lying against the frame he created to keep the geo plant from prying eyes, Knives thought over his plans. They had seemed simple in the beginning. Kill every human on Project SEEDS, land ship, live in an utopia with fellow creatures.

As things hadn't turned out like that, he had to revise his plans. Again, he didn't think it would be all that difficult.

Land, destroy humanity with help from Vash, live in utopia.

When that didn't go as planned...

Gather group of humans to destroy their own kind, in the process cause Vash pain for eternity for his sins against me, he'll come over to my side and we'll destroy humanity, live in utopia.

So far his most recent plan was going well, but already his fiercest bump was placed before his road. Vash was not going to come over to his side, no sooner than if he had lost and was forced to go over to his side. It wasn't in either of their natures to give up their personal plans quite so easily. Vash's unhealthy attachment to humans was a hurdle that caused him constant irritation.

Legato's last words to him floated freely in his mind. Something regarding Vash experiencing eternal pain now. But no, Vash wasn't in pain. Crushed, hurt, confused, frighted for the future, but this was no eternal pain. Legato had failed and he had truly died for it.

'What can I do to have him on my side?' He thought to himself. Nothing was coming and he banged his fist against the soft blades of grass in anger. He shook the thoughts away. It wouldn't matter, when he destroyed the human organism, in its entirety, Vash would have nothing to cling on too. In his loneliness he would reach out for him, wanting his company, if nothing else.

And for Knives that was fine enough. Neither him nor Vash knew what their life expectancy would be, but he observed he had another 390 years in him at the very least. And with such time within him, Vash would have to one day forgive him for killing the precious ones he cared so fully about.

Nodding this to himself, he allowed his body to rest into a peaceful sleep, the images of destruction at the edge of his brain, as the dreamy visions seeping from Vash's, already sleeping mind, entered his. He still dreamt of the same girls. One in particular. He smiled a small tiny smile, coming to the conclusion that she would have to suffer the most.

* * *

**AN**: I have no idea how long this will be. Presently I'm thinking no more than 5 chapters? A short story but I haven't got many ideas right now. But I'm working on them. Please review! More so than any other story I've written, do I want feedback.

_Faery Goddyss :)_


	3. Alive and Well

**Prerogative**

_Alive and Well _

"Meryl?"

"Mmm...mmm?"

"Meryl? You have to get up now."

Finally rousing herself from the prodding brought out by her taller friend, Meryl lifted her head from where she had fallen asleep. Her type writer. She gazed lazily at the paper that was still intact in the writer and noticed that a long stream line of the page repeated the same letter 'g' on it.

Groaning, Meryl lifted her upper body and yanked the paper out, tossing it out in the garbage. 'How could I have fallen asleep!' She thought. "Thanks for waking me up Millie."

"No problem, if you want lunch I making some."

"Yeah, thanks I'll be out there soon once I finish re-typing this letter to the boss."

"Alright."

The shuffling noises of loading paper into the writer followed by the clicking sounds of the typewriter started before Millie had even reached the rooms door. Stopping at the doorway she turned her head to gaze back at her superior who was too deeply engrossed with her writing to know she was being watched. Millie hesitated to speak but closed her mouth instead and walked out.

_Meryl Stryfe, Claims Investigator writes:_

_On behalf of the whereabouts of Vash the Stampede,_

_It has been over two months since I (Meryl Stryfe) and my accompanying partner (Millie Thompson) have heard of any word from former Outlaw (Vash the Stampede). All has been peaceful and water continues to be discovered. There has been no major events that can be deemed critical._

_Vash has been reported to have vanished and all enemies of the one, Stampede, have been quiet and undisturbing or have perished from past battles. Peace is on the horizon._

... Meryl hesitated on her next line.

_Request permission to return to the Bernardelli Insurance Companies main office._

_Claims Investigator #AGJ7FR_

_Meryl Stryfe_

Quickly pushing away from the desk she had been working on before she had fallen asleep, Meryl stood and began to walk away from the report to Bernardelli. She stopped and glanced back at the paperwork a few times before rushing back over and erasing the last line.

'Just hold out a little while longer Meryl. Vash will come back.'

Twiddling her fingers as she inspected her work over again, she walked slowly over to the open window, allowing the breeze to brush against her now slightly below shoulder length hair. Glancing up at the sky she noticed its color. 'Hm, that's a certain shade of blue you don't see very often. Something must be brewing.'

'...dammit Vash, where the hell are you?' She wondered to herself again. Folding her arms brushing a finger by her cheek she stopped when she felt an odd shaped indent on her cheek. Heading into the bathroom to look at the mirror she groaned in annoyance at the pressed markings from her typewriter, a backwards letter 'g' could be faintly made out.

Rubbing her cheek hard trying to rid herself of the mark she only succeeded in making her cheek a bright color of red. Letting out another groan of disapproval, Meryl left the mark alone and headed into the dining room only to collapse into an unoccupied chair.

Millie looked over at her friend and smiled. "There's something on your cheek Meryl."

"I know Millie, thanks for pointing that out."

Not seeming to hear the irritation in her voice, Millie continued to stir the concoction she was making and went on talking.

"So what did you update the boss on?"

"Nothing, as nothing new has happened... Millie...," Meryl hesitated before continuing. "How would you feel about going back to December?"

Millie stopped stirring the pot and turned to face Meryl. "But what about Mr. Vash?"

Meryl shook her head.

"He's taking too long to come back, we can only stay here for so long before the boss begins to questions what we're doing out here."

"But what will happen when Mr. Vash does come back and we're not here?"

"We can leave a message with the landlord." Meryl said, placing her elbow on the table and resting her head on one of her hands.

Millie regarded her superior silently for a few moments. "And... that would be okay with you? Leaving without knowing if he's okay?"

"Of course its not okay with me, but we cant just wait forever. Who knows how long it'll take for him to get beak...he may never get back."

"Meryl you shouldn't say things like that." Millie interjected quietly.

Heaving a deep sigh, Meryl looked out the side window of their little house, watching the townspeople walk by.

"No I shouldn't, but it is a possibility, and acting like its not wont make the chances of him not returning higher. I mean, just look outside Millie, everything is in perfect order. There's been peace in all the towns. With Vash's bounty gone no one's making any trouble."

About to respond, Millie said nothing when a slight shake of the house ensued. Both women exchanged glances and sat very still, saying nothing to each other.

"Millie."

Millie nodded and slowly filled a glass of water and placed it on the small table. They watched together as the water in the glass continued to shake slowly in a constant pace.

Meryl stood from her chair and walked outside, with Millie on her heels. They looked around at the town and saw that all the townspeople had stopped what they had been previously doing to look in one direction. A cloud of dust could be seen from a far distance.

"I think you spoke too soon Meryl." Millie said quietly.

"Get your gun Millie and meet me in the head of town." Meryl began walking toward the front of the crowd that was forming to look out into the distance. Millie nodded and walked back into the house to grab her stun gun, which laid slightly abandoned, covered in the smallest layer of dust. Picking it up and dusting it off she hoisted it over her shoulder and walked back out of the house to meet up with Meryl.

While walking Meryl checked her cloak, the 50 derringers were still inside and they all had been reloaded. Trying to push past the silent crowd, Meryl found it to be a little difficult to move through the dense gathering.

"Excuse me, please move, excuse me ma'am, pardon me sir." She repeated over and over again, trying to get through.

When she finally managed to push her way through she looked out into the desert and saw the foe's headed their way. Millie was at her side seconds later.

"Who is it?" Millie asked quietly.

"I don't know... I cant really tell..." Meryl responded in a muttering tone. "But I don't like the looks of it."

"Something's headed right for us!" A random voice called out.

"Meryl..." Millie's slightly alarmed voice whispered out.

"I think so too." Meryl turned to overlook the stony faced crowd. "It's a missile!" She yelled.

Instant panic and disorder struck the small town as the people began to run in frantic directions.

"Head for the opposite side of town to get out of range!" Meryl yelled out another command, and the people listened and ran as a group for the other side.

"C'mon Meryl! We have to run too!" Millie grabbed her friends wrist and began running from the fast approaching weapon. While running Meryl took notice of a little boy crying in the middle of the stampeding crowd. She pulled herself from Millie's grasp.

"Meryl!" Millie called out frantically.

"The boy!" Meryl replied pointing to him. She ran over to him and swept him up on her back, turning on her heel quickly to run back with the crowd that was headed away from the fast approaching missile.

While running Meryl heard the boy whimpering something.

"What?" Meryl yelled over the screaming commotion of the townspeople.

"My little sister is still in the house!" He cried out.

Meryl gasped and looked back at the house the boy pointed to. The weapon heading towards them would strike any minute. Meryl was at a loss, as she didn't know what to do, she couldn't risk going back and having the boy and herself killed, yet, his younger sister... she'd definitely be killed instantly.

"I'm on it Meryl!" Millie yelled appearing at Meryl's side before dashing back at a faster sprint.

"Millie!" Meryl's voice caught in her throat, there was no way she could ask Millie not to go after the left behind child. "Hurry!" She yelled.

Millie was already too far back to hear Meryl over all the noise. Meryl kept running with the rest of the people, ignoring the less than comfortable clutching the boy caused from clinging on to her. Meryl didn't see the explosion, but she heard when the missile came in contact with the sandy ground.

The giant missile missed her and the boy by millimeters as Meryl kept running. The giant explosion it created, caused both Meryl and the young boy as well as few lagging people to stumble, some fell. But they all quickly got to their feet, helping each other up as they continued to flee. Some of the runners turned to look.

"Don't look back! Just keep running!" Meryl yelled out, and everyone did so until they were at the very edge of the other side of town.

The running ceased to a jog, then a swift walk until people stopped to turn and look back at their town. Jaws dropped, and eyes widened as they observed where they all had just been standing moments ago, there was now nothing but blackened buildings from the explosion that the missile caused.

"What the hell is going on?" A woman next to Meryl muttered to herself.

"I don't know," Meryl answered, even though the question wasn't aimed at her. Her panic level was rising as she looked over the crowd, unable to make out the large profile that Millie possessed. She set the little boy on her back down as he seemed to be searching the crowds as well.

"Meryl!"

Meryl's head turned at the sound of Millie's voice. She was emerging from the dusty air that the missile had left behind, a little girl was riding piggy back behind her.

"Millie!" Meryl cried out, rushing to her friends side.

"Sister!" The little boy added, following behind Meryl.

Millie set the little girl down and watched with a smile as she ran over to her older brother.

"Big brother!"

As the two little kids hugged, Meryl looked over her friend. "I didn't think you got out in time for a while there."

"Almost didn't, I had to toss my gun though, it's the first time the weight became a disadvantage. I couldn't hold it and the little girl."

They watched as the two little kids scampered off into the crowd meeting up with people they assumed to be their parents, but not before giving both Meryl and Millie a thank you.

"Meryl?" Millie turned back to the smaller woman. "I saw them."

"Who?"

"The people who shot off the missile. Based on where they were when I saw them, they should be directly in front of us when the dust clears away."

"What!"

Millie nodded and looked toward the thick air and Meryl joined her. As well as the rest of the town, that had since reaching the opposite side, had remained silent, hearing Millie's words clearly. They waited till the wind swept away the lingering dust to meet the people who had destroyed their homes and businesses without a moments notice.

* * *

**AN: **So begins Meryl and Millie's introduction to the fanfic. Chapter 4 suprisingly already has a nice outline, so that should actually be up rather soon! (Major shock, I know) Oh and I do have a little direction now for this story, (at least for 2-3 more chapters) but suggestions would still be appreciated:) Please review!

Yours Truly,   
_Faery Goddyss :)_


	4. Brilliant Dynamites Neon

**Prerogative**

_BDN_

With the dust clearing away slowly, Meryl held her breath, waiting to view the people in front of her who had caused the destruction in town. As the sand lifted into the sky, she noticed a large looming figure in front of her and as it cleared more, she released her breath in an annoyed sigh and hunched over shaking in anger.

"Meryl! Its..."

"I know...," she muttered furiously, as her fist clenched to her sides. She suddenly stood up straight and held out her right arm, pointing at the figure in front of her while her left was firmly rooted to her hip. "You! What the hell do you think you're doing! You could have killed someone!"

The man before her released a loud laugh. "You girls are in this town eh? And one has to make an entrance don't you think?"

"No I don't think! Just what do you think you're up to! You're supposed to be somewhere between Inepril and May near the Lotenburg Canyon! Why are you reeking havoc way out here!"

The man laughed again, looking around at the townspeople who were gawking at Meryl, not at all happy that the petit woman recognized their towns foe.

"I thought I'd expand my turf, and I heard this little place had some water findings, thought I'd stop by and make it mine."

"You blew half the place up! What could you want with it now!"

"I'll have the lackeys fix it up." He gestured lazily behind him at his expansive masked Bad Lads. He turned to face Millie.

"It's so good to see you again Mr. Brilliant Dynamites Neon!"

"Please, BDN is fine, and likewise miss."

Meryl's jaw dropped at her friends welcome. "Millie! Did you not just see what he did!"

"Well, Meryl no one was killed or hurt much."

Meryl was about to protest when she looked around at the people and realized Millie was right. No one had been killed or badly injured for that matter. She turned back to large flashy man. "Point is, you cant have this town."

"To bad for you I'm taking it, but being the gentleman that I am, I'm allowing everyone back in to grab their useless personals. But leave all the shiny stuff behind, it'll save me the trouble of having to search everyone."

"And where are we all supposed to go!" Meryl demanded.

He shrugged with a smile. "That isnt my problem." He looked to the silent townspeople. "You all heard me, get in there and get what you want, my men will be monitoring everything to make sure your valuables stay with me!" He grinned before turning and walking into the middle of town, sitting comfortably on a chair, sipping a drink.

"Well that was nice if him don't you think Meryl? He didn't have to let us get our stuff." Millie said as they began walking to what was left of their tiny house.

"He didn't have to bomb us, or put us out either." She muttered to herself as she opened the door that at once crashed to the ground. Cringing at the wreck that their small house now was, each made their way cautiously through the house, being careful not to touch a wall in fear it'd fall on them.

Most of their stuff was trashed, including the typewriter Meryl had been using to write Bernardelli. Meryl sighed at this and saw the burnt letter she had been writing the boss. 'Great, now what's the boss going to think?' She thought as she gathered what few belongings she could salvage.

Meeting Millie back outside the house she saw most of the townspeople just lingering around, eyeing the remains of the town. Most people couldn't even get what few belongings they had, as the missile had hit their houses directly and had destroyed everything.

Both Millie and Meryl jumped when they felt a hard poke in their backs, turning their heads they saw two of BDN's men pointing guns at their backs.

"The boss wants a word with you two before you leave."

Meryl twitched in irritation, putting her hands up, Millie following suit. They were walked before Neon who sat up at their arrival.

"Still got those derringers?" He asked, looking directly at Meryl.

Meryl had no intention of answering, but a sudden hot wind picked up, allowing Neon full vision of the 50 neat arranged derringers in her cloak. He laughed at this while Meryl huffed.

"Don't worry, you can have them. They're so tiny I can't even fit my finger around the trigger."

"So what is it that you wanted?" She asked, nearly cutting him off in her rising anger.

"Right." He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms with a smile. "Vash the Stampede. Last I heard he was still with you two, even after that hole in the fifth moon incident."

"Well you heard wrong, he isnt with us." Meryl replied firmly.

"We haven't seen Mr. Vash in months." Millie added. "The last time we saw him he went off to fight his brother."

"That guys got a brother?" Neon asked in slight surprise.

Millie nodded. "His name is Mr. Knives."

"Wait." BDN sat up again and stood, looking down on the two. "You mean to tell me the same Knives that wrote his name in blood in that town full of missing people?"

"The same." Meryl said quietly.

"Now that's a guy I'd want to fight." Neon said thoughtfully looking in the direction of the sparkling suns.

Meryl's lip curled in disgust. "You would."

"Hey!" All three of them turned to looking at a random man that was shaking. "You destroyed our homes! I wont let you take our town! You cant! I wont allow it!"

BDN smiled as he stepped around the girls. "That so?"

The man was instantly surrounded by a group of Bad Lads, all guns pointing in the mans direction.

"How are you going to stop me?" Brilliant asked the man with a kind smile.

The man couldn't seem to stop shaking, and he lifted up a giant gun, that had been somehow hidden from view.

"Where the hell did he get that thing?" Neon asked to no one in particular.

"Hey! That's my stun gun!" Millie responded.

Neon turned to face the larger woman. "That huge gun is yours?"

"Yes."

He put on a gleam of interest. "Its big and flashy, something I can appreciate, is it actually heavy though?"

"Not to me, but for most people it is rath-"

"Don't ignore me!" The man interupted. He tried to pull up the gun on his shoulder and only succeeded in falling to the ground.

"Kill him." Neon gave the order and in an instant a loud chain reaction of guns went off.

"How could you just kill him!" Meryl protested.

"I didn't kill him, they did." He motioned over to his gang members. "Besides you don't want the hysterical people around during a time when you should all be using your common sense, that is if you plan to get to the next towns in one piece? It is a hot desert out there."

He gave them another one of his full grins, that showed all his big pearly whites, tipping his hat in respect toward them. "You ought to be off. Again, nice seeing you both, and if you run into the former Outlaw tell him I still plan to kill him the next time I see him. Let him know I'm alive and well, still waiting for a match that shines will ya?"

He walked off toward the center of the ring, where his men were busy packing up the dead mans body and cleaning up the mess that it caused.

Meryl turned her head with a sigh back to the townspeople who looked at her and Millie expectantly.

"Let's go." She stated as she began to trudge herself out of the town that now belonged to Dynamites and the members of the Bad Lad Gang.

After walking a mile or so, Meryl stopped as did Millie. "This isnt going to work is it?" Millie asked quietly.

"No." Meryl responded. "We have to think of something, a plan, we cant just walk around the open desert with all these people. We're a complete target to other desert thieves."

"Maybe we ought to split up? The stronger go to the further away towns, the less strong head for the nearest towns?" A female voice spoke up from behind them.

Meryl and Millie turned to face the woman and exchanged looks before nodding in agreement.

The woman smiled. "I'll spread the word."

They watched as the woman disappeared into the dense crowd murmuring what was to happen as she passed people. It took a few hours for people to agree on who was to go where but the large group finally dispersed into smaller groups, each with a specific destination in mind. Before they all left though, Meryl dispensed a few derringers to each group warning them that the small guns did indeed only hold one shot, and therefore had to go to the one with the best aim and should only be used in dire need.

By the time she had given them all out she only had two for herself. They had retrieved Millies gun, but it held none of its rubber bullets, so it was like carrying dead weight but she place it under her cloak as usual.

The group with Meryl and Millie turned toward the distant mountains, heading for the furthest town. The suns were setting behind them and a soft unified sigh could be heard through the small group. Getting a strange feeling, Meryl looked to the left of her, and her eyes widened in recognition at the blonde haired man standing on a distant cliff.

Her spirits lifted for a second before she noticed another blonde haired figure walk up toward Vash. This man glanced in her direction with a smirk and steered his brother away from the cliff's edge. Meryl furrowed her brows in confusion when she remembered something.

She remembered seeing both those figures in the distance when BDN had attacked the town, at the time she hadn't though anything of them, figuring they were a part of the gang, but now she realized. It had been Vash and Knives all along. They had both watched as BDN shot the missile, watched as he overtook the place, and watched as he booted them out without any food or water. _He _had watched, and he had done nothing to help.

Meryl's logical mind added up these instances, coming to the conclusion that if Vash didn't help, it could only mean he hadn't wanted to. Why? She didn't know, but the plant that was looking at her now could not be the same Vash she had seen walk into the desert all those months ago. This was a Vash that had become so much like his brother. Her face contorted in misunderstanding and she turned her back on the former outlaw, not quite seeing his pained expression as Knives led him away.

* * *

**AN:** Imagine having to relocate a whole town? What a pain. What's the last town Meryl and Millie are in at the end of the series? The one I just had BDN take over? I don't remember, but I have _always_ loved BDN with a passion, and you should too. I haven't started the next chapter but I've got the ideas for it in my head. I'll try to get it up in two weeks. Key word: _Try. _Please Review! 

Yours Truly,  
_Faery Goddyss :)_


	5. The Angel from my Nightmare

**Prerogative**

**AN:** Don't you all hate it when, you go back and re-read your stories and find tiny little dumb mistakes? Yeah, I do, and I've found a million, there's probably some in here too. Grrr... Alright then, this chapter is dedicated to:

**untidyclaws**

who... probably wont even be able to read this as boot camp should have her/him by now. Good luck with camp! Now, you can all review like crazy (which would be, ever so nice) but its my pure laziness of typing that sometimes stops me from updating. It cant be helped, but I apologize for the :gulp: month long wait... I don't know how some of you put up with me.

* * *

_The Angel from my Nightmare_

Knives woke quietly, and shaded his eyes from the invading sunlight that penetrated the shadows he had been sleeping in. Something wasn't quite right...

Relieving himself of yesterdays filth he stepped quietly into his serene geo plant. He walked around slowly, inspecting everything, the grass, the trees, the flowers... everything in terms of the plant seemed to be fine. He glanced around, bringing his hand to his chin, rubbing it in thought.

He's hand dropped back down to his side. "Vash."

His brother wasn't in the plant, and while he could still feel his brother's presence it was far from him. Clenching his fists together in anger he set out into the desert after his twin who hadn't gotten too far ahead.

Vash himself, walked slowly along, his wounds that hadn't quite healed from before had been healed over night. An effect that must have come from his brother while he had slept. When he had awoken the dull pain of the wounds were gone and he brushed over his bare skin where the bullets had struck, it was as if they had never been there. Knives had even taken care of the scars that they would have left. Which was something he was internally grateful for, he didn't want any more scars, he didn't want the memory that would be left from them.

When he had dreamt, it had been the same dreams he had always had. Knives' laugh, the destruction of a town he'd now like to forgot, the images never left and with Knives in control he wondered if they ever would. Knives had said that they would leave the next day and it was there that he was headed.

He stopped walking in the desert when he realized he had no idea as to where he was. Knives had knocked him out, he could have been anywhere. Suppose he wasn't even going in the correct direction?

In his sudden frustration he sat down hard, ignoring the burning sand that he could feel through his clothing.

'I have to warn them all, I have to warn all the people,' had been his first thought when he had woken from his fitful sleep and even so, he wondered if there would be any real point. Would it make a difference when no one, not even himself could defeat Knives?

He hated himself for losing, for allowing his brother to win. Though if there was one thing Knives was right in, it was thinking that neither him nor Vash would give up on what they wanted. Vash stood, and brushed the sand off him

Knives was wrong, he hadn't lost, not yet. The day he lost, was the day human life was extinct. Vash had decided. The only way to keep those he loved most alive, was to go along with Knives, he didn't have to be like him, but turning away from him wasn't going to help matters. Knives had something up his sleeve and Vash wouldn't be entrusted with it until he could prove himself to his brother.

'Besides,' Vash thought. 'He wants me by his side, and that's something he wants more than anything.'

Before he could take a step forward he heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked back. He didn't turn, but rather sighed as he waited for his brother to join him at his side.

Knives was pointing his custom black gun at his brother, but his eyes were on the desert that surrounded them. "I did say we'd go, but I meant we'd leave together," he said as he placed the gun back in his hidden holster.

"Thought you'd get an early start Vash?" Knives smiled to himself at his brothers look Much was mixed in his face and the only clear expression he could see was a pained annoyance.

Vash said nothing and turned his face from that of Knives', he started walking but Knives extended his arm, stopping him. "We're going south, really brother, you have the worst sense of direction."

The walk to the town was in complete silence. Though, more than once Vash attempted at opening his mouth, wanting to make further judgements in favor of humanity but Knives' cold gaze always stopped him. Vash gazed at his brother from his peripheral vision, Knives' face was calm and he walked collectively.

He had a grace about him, Knives did. It was as if all these years, while he had been trying to blend in with the humans as much as he could, Knives was working just as hard at making sure the differences were apparent. A solitary look at Knives, and anyone would be able to tell he wasn't exactly human. It was that grace, his aura, it was something Vash didn't care for in his brother.

Vash was suddenly yanked back by his brother and thrown on the ground. He stood in anger, glaring at his twin, about to demand what he done that for. Knives said nothing and stuck out his chin forward, Vash looked and gulped when he saw the drop off from the cliff. He hadn't been paying attention.

"Why are we at a cliff? I thought we were headed toward the town?"

"We are at the town, did you bother to look beyond the cliff?"

Vash looked over and saw Knives was correct, there was the town he had left months ago. A heavy weight filled his heard as he wondered if Meryl and Millie were still around, if they had bothered to continue to wait for him. He could understand if they hadn't, and at the present moment he hoped they had not, but still, he wondered how long they had bothered to wait. Millie would wait till the day she died, but Meryl... he sighed. Meryl wasn't the most patient of woman, she was probably gone.

Knives turned his head to his brother, "no they're both still there."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Invading my mind as if you have the rights too."

"Then stop thinking so loud," Knives smiled at his brother.

The smile, the warmth in it, the fact that it was the first one he hadn't seen that evil glint behind caught Vash off guard and he stepped back in alarm from it, falling into the sand. Knives' smile faded.

"Sometimes I can hardly believe we're related, and twins at that," Knives said as started to walk the edge of the cliff.

"What are you doing?" Vash asked as he stood, brushing himself off.

"Waiting," Knives muttered as his eyes looked far off in a direction.

"For what?"

Knives smiled again, but the glint was back in its faithful spot, "him."

Vash squinted his eyes to see what his brother was talking about, but all he saw in the distance was a cloud of dust rising as if a sand storm were on its way. As the dust cloud grew closer his eyes increased in slight size when he saw who was causing the stir in the dust. An old enemy, one who had the potential to be a friend, but it seemed BDN's old ways were never going to be stopped and he watched as he charged into the town, letting a missile go in first as the big flashy entrance he loved.

Preparing to jump from the cliff, as he had no intention of letting BDN get away with what was about to happen, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked up at the hands owner and saw Knives' smiling face beam down at him. He yanked his shoulder away.

"Let me go, I have to help them," he said quietly to his twin.

Knives put his hand back on his brother's shoulder, stopping him from his destination. "I think not brother, this is a good as time as any. I wont allow you to interfere, examine, study the cruelties of humanity. Watch them die."

Vash pushed off from his brother and set out to the town, ignoring his words.

"Go then Vash, save them, but if you do, I'll give them a definite death, one filled with pain. I'll let their screams be a sort of lullaby," Knives smiled. "It'll lull me to sleep, but what about yourself? Are their deaths music to your ears?"

Vash stopped in his tracks, his face contorted in painful thought. He didn't take another step forward and he watched as the missile hit the town, releasing a powerful explosion. Knives wasn't making a sound behind him, but he could almost hear the sound of Knives' smile widening. He was too far away from the town to know if anyone had been hurt for sure, but luckily, it seemed the majority if not all the people had walked away unharmed.

When his eyes caught sight of the tiny distinctive figures he knew to be Meryl and Millie, he sighed in relief, 'at least the girls are okay.' He thought, trying to see what was so far from him.

"Your eye sight is nearly that of a humans brother, you really are a bit of a disgrace to your kind," Knives said to him as he took a step besides his brother. "You must be curious with what's going on down there. I imagine that not only can you barely see, but that you cant hear a thing as well."

Vash didn't acknowledge his brother, he merely continued to watch the tiny specks, which were the humans of the town move about. He couldn't make out the lips so he was unsure if they were talking or not, but he could easily see BDN's large overbearing figure.

"Brilliant Dynamites Neon... how could you," he muttered to himself.

Knives eyed his brother as he spoke to himself but said nothing. They watched together as the events unfolded and as the people set out into the desert, separating before they got too far from the original town.

Vash's eyes broke in alarm, "where are they going? What are they doing?"

"I do believe," Knives began in a bored tone. "That they were kicked out of the town, and now have high hopes in getting to another before they starve to death. Such a will to live, pity its so nauseating, but we'll take care of that wont we Vash?"

Vash looked at his brother, his lip curling in disgust, "there's no we Knives. There's you and then there's me, we're not a team, we'll never be one again unless you can change for the better." As Vash set his eyes back at the townspeople that were going in every which direction, Knives' eyes stayed on that of his brothers.

'I assure you dear brother, we will be together as one... even if I have to force you.'

Knives watched as his brother drew an intake of breath and he turned his eyes to view what his brother was staring at. One of the females, one he recognized from Vash's mind was staring directly up at them. No one else seemed to notice them but her intense gray eyes were glued on his brothers, she even flicked her eyes to himself. He took a hold of his brother, deciding they had gawked long enough and led him away.

The female's eyes gave everything away, she was disappointed, angry and most importantly of all unforgiving.

'How interesting,' Knives thought, though he wasn't unaware of the female's unhealthy liking to his brother.

"Knives, I-"

Knives interrupted his brother, "you make contact and I kill her now."

Vash said nothing before turning to look back at the female with a pained expression, allowing Knives to steer him away from the cliff's edge. When they had reached the lower point of where the cliff stuck out Vash again, pushed himself from his brother's grasp.

"If they die out there, I'll never forgive you!" He said and walked away in the very same direction the people were going.

* * *

**AN: **Bleh. That was probably the worst chapter so far, oh well. Click that purple button and make me a happy writer. I really want to promise the next chapter will be out soon, but... you all know my habits by now. 

A random hello to **Alexnandru Van Gordon**. She/he (sorry I don't know) claps for me. :sobs and bows: Thank you, and sorry about the wait, the part of me that types up these chapters keeps trying to run away.

Yours Truly,  
_Faery Goddyss :)_


	6. Move Ahead

**Prerogative**

**AN: This AN is important! Please read it!** Sigh. Its been way too long since the last update and I can see that my lack of consistent updating is affecting. Here are my options for the future of this story:

1. I take Prerogative off FF, and return to it later in the (most likely) far future  
2. Drop it all together  
3. Have _short_ chapter updates and continue to update slowly

A lot of things are taking my focus away from this story (mostly being my slow tiring of writing Trigun _without_ being able to watch it) and I'm not devoting myself to it the way I want to. I think my writing for this one is a bit choppier than I would have liked and I don't like that. _If_I decide to continue with the story I'll _probably_ update about a page to two pages of a chapter once a month.

With that said, I want your opinions. I actually don't think THAT many people are reading this any longer so if I do discontinue the story it wont be a huge let down. **Please let me know in your review!

* * *

**

_Move Ahead_

Vash was leading and Knives was following slowly behind. What Vash had said hit him in the heart. To not be forgiven for doing something he deemed critical, for both himself and his brothers well being. His eyes narrowed. If things continued to go thus far, he wondered how long he'd favor having his brother with him. But no, he shook his more murderous thoughts away.

It was still early, Vash still had raw wounds, in time... Even though a part of him found no reason to keep Vash alive, a much larger part would not allow it. For now he would keep Vash as close to his good side as possible, for now the humans could live.

Vash kept a close eye on the people who walked far below them. From their angle they'd never see him or Knives unless they moved further from the edge, but he could see them well. Of the group he saw the Insurance Girls walking behind the rest. Millie was looking down at Meryl her face covered in concern as her lips moved, obviously trying to get Meryl to say something. Meryl was saying nothing. Her eyes were on the far distant mountains ahead and her face was serious. Vash watched as Millie gave up on trying to get a word from her shorter companion. After giving Meryl a friendly pat she walked ahead to chat with some of the other members of the group.

Meryl stayed in the back and tried not to think of what she had witnessed. Perhaps what she saw was wrong? She smirked to herself. She trusted her eyes and what they revealed to her, she just wondered if and when she ought to tell Millie. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the grumbling of a stomach, it was her own and she sighed knowing there was nothing she could do to fill it.

While BDN had been "kind" enough to allow them to gather their personal belongings nothing that could be seen as nourishment had been provided.

'How are we going to get all the way to Jenora without food or water?' She thought, the reality of this new dilemma fully seeping in.

Though no one voiced a complain on the absence of food or water, Meryl noticed the slowing in pace, the halt of conversation. They were all getting tired and they were still some 100 iles from the place they needed to be, and that was of course if they were still going the right way. The heat and lack of water made their senses dull a bit and while they had been keeping next to the cliffs edge, Meryl was starting to wonder if the cliffs edge was going in a semi straight line. Turning to look behind her, she wasn't sure. The heat waves made her uncertain.

Vash frowned down at those below him. He knew they were losing energy, and so quickly... they would never make it under these conditions. It was still mid afternoon and it would only get hotter. If they didn't faint from heat exhaustion, the bitter cold desert nights could attack them.

When one of the men in the group tripped and fell over his own feet, the group decided that was a good as time as any to stop for a rest. As did Vash, he sat, his legs crossed not bothering to see what his brother was doing behind him. The people sat close together, not saying much. Though they asked each other how they were and checked each other for any scrapes and cuts that they may not have paid attention to when the missile from BDN had hit their town.

"They can be cruel, but they help each other too," Vash said quietly, wondering if his brother could even hear him.

"It doesn't make up for centuries of pointless sins," Knives responded just as quietly.

Vash said nothing in response and continued to watch the people below.

"Hey Meryl?" Millie asked softly, so as not to interrupt the conversation that was going on around them.

"What is it Millie?" She responded, turning to her friend.

"I've been getting a really funny feeling."

"Like what?" Meryl eyed her friend closer. Inspecting her exposed skin, checking for any signs that maybe Millie was hotter than the others, or if she was more short of breath than the rest.

Millie shook her head, answering Meryl's internal question in regards with her health. "Its nothing physical to do with me, I've just go the funniest feeling that we're being followed, and watched for that matter. Funny huh, Meryl? When there's no way we could be watched since we're in the middle of the desert."

At this, Millie smiled and turned back to the groups conversation on how well they thought the others were doing on their missions to get to their appointed towns. While they continued conversing, Meryl's head raised slowly toward the steep cliffs edge they were beside. She couldn't see the land at the top but she wondered...

Standing abruptly, the group stopped talking from her sudden motion.

"I'm going to go around this bend, to see if I can get up on this cliff. I want to make sure we've been going in a straight path. Its impossible to tell with the heat from this altitude."

The others in the group exchanged looks, "perhaps it would be unwise to separate?" A shorter man in their group spoke up.

"Yeah, Meryl, I don't know if that's such a great idea..." Millie trailed off when she saw a knowing glint in Meryl's eye. She had learned to put her full trust in that glint. "Well... actually, maybe she should, and some of us look far too tired to keep going, but Meryl's always had a little extra energy."

After a short debate, the group agreed, begrudgingly, that Meryl could go on her own, as she insisted. But they would keep their eyes on the positions of the suns to keep track of how long she had been gone.

Nodding and giving them all a reassuring smile, Meryl brushed the bit of sand that stuck to the back of her white skirt and headed toward a curve in the cliff. A place she hope could take her upward, to the place she knew Vash and his brother were watching them. Her gut told her, warned her not to go, but her brain pushed aside such emotional thoughts. She could handle Vash... even if he had changed for the worse.

Vash, scrambled to his feet, Knives gave him a wary look, barely raising his head from its resting place against his arm. They had, or rather he had been watching those spiders for too long. He was bored and if Vash insisted on him not killing them now, he wanted to return to the geo. He needed to check the status of the plants, to be sure they were receiving enough nutrients, but of course his brother was just as stubborn as he was.

"What are you doing?" He asked dully, flicking sand with his fingers.

"Nothing, I'm going for a walk around the bend."

Knives' eyes narrowed as he lifted himself up, "around the bend down the cliff perhaps? To see your beloved creatures? I already said I wont allow it Vash. How far do you want to push me with your unwillingness to forgive me?"

"I'm not going down to see my, as you put it, beloved creatures."

"Then you wont mind," Knives stood, "if I come along with you. I wouldn't mind a walk."

'I cant let Knives come across Meryl,' Vash thought as he faced the side he could feel Meryl's very presence walking.

"No, I'd rather go alone." Vash told his twin who was already walking up beside him.

"I'm sure you would. Let's see what suddenly peaked your interest." Knives responded as he walked ahead of Vash.

Biting his lip, Vash jogged a bit to catch up with his brother.

'I have to do something. They cant meet, but Knives wont let this go. What if he does something to Meryl? Why did I have to mention I wanted to walk? Why did I get up so suddenly when I felt her nearby? I should have just casually gotten up, maybe Knives wouldn't even have said anything,' Vash thought. His thoughts mixed with a whirwind of emotions on Meryls behalf.

* * *

**AN: **Nothing really gets accomplished in this chapter and for that I do apologize, but if I didnt update this chapter this very night I was going to never get around to it. And keep in mind that even I can have sudden change of hearts, and sudden bursts of inspiration, so while I don't feel a lot of inspiration now, one can never know. Please read and review! 

Yours Truly,  
_Faery Goddyss :)_


	7. Getting to know You

**Prerogative**

**AN: **Oh alright, one- two pages once a month it is... for now. Though I will try to write more than that if I can manage. There are 4 pages so that should last you... four months.

* * *

Getting to Know You

Meryl took slow strides walking up the cliff, a small knot beginning to form in her throat. 'What have I gotten myself into?' She thought, when the full realization of what she was about to do hit her.

Yes, she could handle Vash if need be, but Knives? She knew nothing of him, only of his actions and they were catastrophic. Her head down, she started to try and calm her nerves, but before they were calmed she noticed the outline of two similar shadows approaching. She looked up to meet their owners.

Knives studied the human that seemed to play a significant role in his brothers life. She was short, a dark hair color with a sheen of an almost dark violet, made her raven. Her wide gray eyes peered at him and his brother. She put on a brave face but Knives was no fool to what was hidden under looks. She was sweating apprehension for the unknown. He gave her a smile.

"We meet in person at last," he said softly.

It was said softly but his voice carried perfectly with slight wind that had picked up.

Meryl swallowed the knot that was in her throat and eyed Knives. Vash was silent and was saying nothing as he eyed her response. She narrowed her eyes at him and looked straight at the obvious twin in charge.

"At last? You've been meaning to meet me?" Her voice was confident, but inside she trembled. He was far too calm for a killer whose goal was a genocide of the human race. _Her _race.

"I have. My brother has thought, highly of you."

'Thought?' She thought to herself at Knives' odd choice of response.

"I want to go," Meryl heard Vash's voice.

Knives turned to look at his other half in exasperation. "Go? I've only just met her and you want to leave? No."

"There's no point having idle chit chat with her."

"Of course there is a point Vash, you just don't see it. No, I want to stay and if you insist on leaving then I must insist on rushing my original intentions."

Vash frowned from the edge he heard through his brothers words. 'What the hell could he possibly want to talk with her about! He's just toying with her!'

Knives smiled at Vash and turned his attentions back to Meryl who was looking back and forth at the two in slight confusion, then without warning her stomach released another rumble and she groaned inwardly. She wanted to appear confident and strong, but her stomach was giving away the physical weakness that she felt.

Knives figured he was retraining himself rather well, but already he was growing antsy from looking at her. He could easily kill her from where he stood with a wave of his arm. Just one single motion and she could be dead, along with her traveling companions who were waiting for her down below.

_Then do it._

Came the tiniest voice in his head, the true ruthless killer that always sat on the edge of his mind. He could, but he would not. Vash was far too attached and he wouldn't risk losing his brother... yet. He watched as the silence between the three of them continued. His brothers eyes were fiercely on those of the womans, and hers, Knives smirked, she was avoiding his trivial looks to get her attention.

Knives watched as his brothers eyes turned from fierce determination to get her attention to an almost pleading. Vash was trying to will her to look at him, and it wasn't working.

'How pathetic,' he thought. 'The way he wants her attention so much. She clearly has a power over him.' The thought annoyed him, but it also sparked an idea. One he wouldn't enjoy, but one which could come in handy.

"You're hungry then?" He suddenly spoke up and two pairs of eyes flashed over to him.

Meryl said nothing.

"You are. I can see the hunger in your eyes, and of course I heard the evidence. You have my permission to follow my brother and I. We'll take you to some food."

Both Meryl and Vash widened their eyes in surprise.

Vash opened his mouth to say something but Knives, curtly cut him off, "I don't want your opinions on the topic Vash." He turned his focus back to Meryl, "of course the others may come as well. We'll be waiting up there, at the top of the cliff for you all."

With that said, Knives turned on his heel and began to walk back to the top, a thoughtful smile playing on his lips.

Vash watched his brother walk away, and when he thought he was far enough that he wouldn't be able to hear, he looked back at Meryl who was watching him expectantly.

"What are you two up too?" She asked slowly, making sure her words were clear.

Vash frowned at her question, "Knives and I are not working as one. I don't know what he's planning."

Meryl snorted, "right, as if I believe that. I saw you when we were attacked by BDN. You did nothing, instead you stood and watched just like him." She jutted her chin in the direction that Knives had left.

"Then you have to know that I wanted to help! Of course I wanted to help!"

"Then why didn't you? Now so many of us are wandering this desert, trying to reach nearby towns. I don't like to admit it, but I know most of us wont make it to civilization before something happens to us. No food, no water, the constant heat, not much protection from fierce dust storms and with night temperatures reaching the negatives..." she sighed in resignation. "Its too much... and when things were going so well..."

Vash bit his lip.

"He's in charge isn't he? He won?" She asked him, staring at him.

Vash nodded slowly, "but that doesn't mean anything. I know it seems hopeless now, but Knives is restraining himself and I know its for my sake."

"For... your sake?"

He nodded, "I think he's torn right now, on what he wants to do. He won the fight, but I'm not planning on sharing his idealistic views, even though he'd like if I did."

Meryl thought a moment, "even though I don't know what's going on, I'm going to take his offer on food. We don't have any choice, we'd starve for sure, at least with this option we can live that much longer."

"You're talking as if you expect to die."

"I'm talking realistically," Meryl turned slightly. "I don't trust him, and honestly... I don't trust you much either right now. I'm in a blind position and how do I know you're not under his influence?"

"Because you know me!"

"... Nevertheless... its good to see that you're alive Vash. Millie and I were worried," saying nothing more Meryl headed back down the cliff to tell the others of their newest options and hopes for survival. She failed to mention who exactly would be taking them to food but Millie, it seemed knew anyway.

Vash, dejectedly, walked back to where his brother was standing at the top of the cliff area. He stopped when he was beside his brother who was overlooking the desert scene.

"She doesn't trust you," he said softly to Knives.

"She shouldn't now should she?" Knives responded rhetorically.

"But she doesn't trust me either," Vash added.

Knives looked over at Vash's hurt expression. "Humans can be fickle Vash, and it seems hurtful. But it's a part of their nature."

Vash's hurt look, hardened.

"I'm sure she doesn't mean to hurt you, but after all she is put in a submissive situation, naturally she's on her guard."

Vash looked at his brother surprised, but Knives' entire body was still turned toward the edge.

'Once I find out what makes her so damn special to him, I can take that and apply it to get him on my side. I just have to not kill them, I don't have to bother pretending to like them,' Knives thought to himself.

Still staring at his brother, Vash thought he looked slightly different. He seemed to be concentrating.

'Concentrating on what? Its never a good sign when he's deep in thought.'

* * *

**AN:** I'm just kidding, I wont make you wait 4 months... intentionally. Anyway, please read and review! 

_Faery Goddyss :)_


	8. Anti Comity

**Prerogative**

_Anti-comity_

Meryl took her time explaining to the small group their turn of events. She was careful to act happy and encouraged that she had found some "friends" that knew of safe haven for them. She restrained herself from telling them the truth, to be on their guard. She had thought about it, and quietly discussed it with Millie. They had no intentions on telling the others who_ exactly_ the other man was. She did mention Vash, which surprisingly raised some interested murmurs, but she felt it was unnecessary to mention who Knives was or what he was known for.

"So who is the other man with The Stampede again?" A man asked, as he stood to brush the sand off his pants.

"His brother, his twin brother actually," she replied.

"I didn't know he had one," a tall woman began. "Then again, he never did talk much about his family did he?"

"No, he didn't." Meryl answered, Millie picking up on an edge in her friends voice.

"What's he like, is he like Vash?"

"I can't really say, I don't know Knives that well," Meryl half lied.

"Knives? His name is Knives?"

"Well let's get a move on, I'm sure we're all exhausted and once we're there, we can rest." Meryl ignored the little question that was nagging her mind, '_where _is_ there?', _and went on. "Though, just so everyone knows Knives isn't very…social."

The small little group stayed somewhat close together as Meryl lead them up the cliff, where Knives had said to meet.

At the top of the cliff Vash was giving his brother his own pre-talk. "Don't even think of hurting them, don't enter their minds, just leave them alone." Vash stated firmly as he glared at his brother, half his attention on the people making their way up.

"How can you have already forgotten that I'm the one in control, not you? So stop warning me and acting as if I can be threatened. You ought to be thanking me instead of chastising me. I'm allowing your little pets some food and water; I'm allowing them to pollute my geo plant for your sake. The least you could do is present some gratitude; I can still kill them at any given moment." Knives responded giving his brother an annoyed look.

Vash folded his arms, "I am grateful, really. But I know you too well, and just like Meryl, I don't trust you."

Knives' lip curled in slight anger.

"You're going to have choose one day, having family or having your selfish utopia. What do you value more?" Vash asked his brother.

Knives said nothing in response as he noticed the figures standing off to the side in close formation. "Your humans are here." He simply told his brother and began his walk toward the geo plant while Vash walked back and greeted the others.

As Vash approached, Meryl took a few steps back, determined not to get too close to the blonde man. She still could not find it in her heart to believe him that he really wasn't under Knives' control. From what she had gathered with the past murders, he was a powerful being that was capable of more than she cared to know. How could she know for sure that the Vash in front of her was the one she had learned to care about over such a long gap of time?

She did not give trust easily. People had to work to gain her friendship. Millie had been the only exception, the only one who had broken her barrier earlier than she would have liked.

Her eyes wandered ahead to Knives' direction. From the back, one couldn't tell if he was Vash or not, but after further observation it was an easy process. Knives had an additional grace about him, an unnatural grace about him that Vash did not possess. He walked with more purpose, more… _superiority. _The world rang in her ears.

This man, this plant was in fact superior. Measuring superiority in intellect and physical strength, Knives was the winner, hands down.

While staring in his direction and deep in thought she never realized he was staring back at her. His eyes were calm and relayed nothing more. They stared at each other for a time until Vash came up beside Meryl; he saw their deep stares and a worried notion came into his mind.

'Damn, Knives has singled Meryl out,' he thought.

Knives eyed the short woman carefully, her eyes never left his own and he refused to lower his before her. 'That human…' he thought. Just as he was about to take a further look into her thoughts Vash came up beside her and eyed the two of them. He saw his brother give him a look and against his own judgment he broke contact first. He watched as Meryl seemed to come out of her own trance and glance at Vash. Her face darkened in mistrust as she noticed the man beside her and she walked back toward the group that was behind her.

Vash watched Meryl's retreating back hopelessly. While Millie seemed to believe him that he wasn't able to help when BDN invaded the town, and that he wasn't under his brothers control, Meryl would not warm up to the thought.

He watched as she conversed with a few of the others in her group as they walked slowly along, just keeping Knives in eyesight as they followed. She seemed a bit more serious than he remembered her being. He thought she had finally left those stages when she accepted who he was, but now it looked as if she reverted to how she used to act around him. Only worse.

Their walk was taking longer than Meryl thought it would. Most of the group had already been tired when they met up with Knives and Vash. Now most were exhausted and were functioning on their last bit of adrenaline. She too, was getting uncomfortably tired and it didn't help that the suns weren't relenting. When a few people began to falter, she stopped them from walking and walked quickly past Vash to Knives' side.

He looked at her slightly surprised that she would think she could just walk beside him, albeit he didn't show his surprise.

"How much further?" She asked, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Why?" He asked, his tone as civil as it could be as he saw his brother staring from the distance.

"We're tired." Meryl figured it was best to keep her questions and statements short and to the point.

Knives snorted at their weakness and jutted his chin in the direction they were headed. "Not much further."

Meryl looked in the direction he had aimed and gasped slightly at what she saw. From where the others were, they weren't able to see what she and Knives could as they were slightly higher on a sand dune. In the distance, only a few more paces was, what looked like, a large metal dome without its top.

"It's a geo plant," she breathed as she stared at the structure.

Even if it was to a human, Knives couldn't help but bragging just a little bit, "not just any geo plant, this one is untainted by humanistic ways." At this, Knives tore his eyes away from his creation and looked down at Meryl, an obvious disgust forming in his face. "Or at least it was."

* * *

**AN: **I want to mention some things. 

Things may be getting slightly AU and characters slightly OCC, but I figured that may have been a given with this alternate end plot of Trigun.

I have not and do not intend to read Trigun Max anytime soon. This is "based" off the anime.

I am firmly in university and I do have a load of things taking up time. I didn't think I'd get this chapter up this month. Basically chapters are harder to write since I don't have much free time.

Because I'm updating such few amounts there is bound to be tons of filler chapters. I think when I finally finish the story I'll combine the chapters.

Also, I know it's weird that Meryl doesn't trust Vash at the moment, but think of her situation a bit more. She knows what Knives can do but she doesn't _really_ know.

See everyone next month!  
_Faery Goddyss :)_


	9. Green Pears

**Prerogative**

_Green Pears_

Vash stared from a distance at his brother and Meryl beside one another, he felt the presence of Millie walk up next to him, sharing the same view.

"She'll come around Mr. Vash, she always does."

"She isn't what I'm worried about," Vash retorted to her.

Even hearing his words of hate, Meryl's focus was still on the structure within reach. The group was just now starting to catch up and they all stopped where she was, on the horizon to gasp at the sight before them. Mutterings went through the group at the disbelief at such a large geo plant.

Feeling slightly overwhelmed at the unison of reactions, Knives was about to head down the sand dune to enter the plant when he felt a tight clamp around his arm. His eyes rolled to the side of his head to look at his brother who was giving him a disapproving look.

"What?"

"You can't go down that way."

"May I ask why not?"

"Because they cant get down that way."

"Your point?"

"_Humans _can't get down that way."

Knives gave him a blank look.

"If you go down the dune on this side, they're going to know you're not human. No human could survive such a drop without being buried in sand."

Knives shook off Vash's grip on him, "are you telling me," he began with a cold hard voice. "That you expect me to act like a human around them?"

"I'm telling you not to stand out."

"I won't remind you who is in charge again Vash. Its starting to annoy me, if anything now is as good as any time to show them that a superior breed exists."

Vash frowned at his brother before turning his head away. "Whoa, what the hell is that!" Vash exclaimed so loudly that he caught the attention of the once trance liked group to stare in the opposite direction Knives had just jumped.

Landing perfectly at the bottom of the dune, Knives smirked at Vash's predictability and left him to answer unanswerable questions as to what they were all supposed to be looking at and how he, himself had gotten down so quickly.

Meryl narrowed her eyes at Vash's weak explanation that he thought he saw something black in the clouds forming above them. The others seemed to take the explanation well enough but once she turned and saw that Knives was no longer by her side her thoughts began to turn.

'Did they exchange something in that split second when I wasn't looking? What could it have been?' She wondered to herself.

Without another word or thought, Meryl took lead and began to take the longer walk around and down the dune, Vash taking up the rear and Millie in the middle. As they approached the outside of the plant the group members, with the exception of Meryl ran their hands along the smooth metal that separated them from what was inside.

They walked slowly, rounding the structure till they came across the large opening that stretched almost to the tip of the non existent ceiling. Once more they stopped as a group to awe at the beauty inside the plant. While a few bent down in disbelief to run their fingers over the smooth green grass, a few others approached the towering trees, extending their hands to press firmly against he trunks, as if trying to prove that they did not exist.

The group spread themselves out as each became fascinated with a different part of the plant. Most of them had never even seen a real tree, or real grass, only what drawings were available in the few books they possessed.

"Is it supposed to be this soft?" Vash heard a man mutter to himself as he lightly touched a flower petal.

"Its all real, it's really real! I didn't know geo plants could be this expansive!" Another exclaimed as she marveled at a small crop of sunflowers.

Vash smiled at their reactions and walked past them, wanting to find where his brother had taken off too, as he passed by he whispered, "It's a gorgeous thing isn't it?"

Vash walked through the shadows finding another and approaching Knives who was out of view from the people.

"What are you doing back here?"

"Can't I do anything without you questioning why I'm doing it?" Knives asked back. "Just look at them." He continued after Vash said nothing to his question. "Swarming over my creation like a pesticide."

"They're not swarming, they're amazed at what they see, and they're appreciating the natural beauty!" Vash responded in protest.

Both twins turned their head at the sound of someone clearing their voice.

"I hate to sound like a broken record but…" Knives stopped Meryl with a raised hand.

"Right, food," he nodded his head in the direction of another shadowy area on the other side if the plant. "There's a storage room in there, try not to choke on anything."

Meryl said nothing and walked away passing the group with a small smile at each person. Every last one of them had finally gotten over the shock of the plant and was resting peacefully on the grass, actually they were starving on the grass, and she seemed to be the last to have any energy. Granted her energy was in tact only because she was steaming with mistrust and suspicion.

When she opened the storage room, she realized just how weak she was, as all she could do was stare at the packed closet filled with food, most of it she didn't even recognize. Meryl slowly reached in and pulled out an oddly shaped green thing that had been sitting in a basket with dozens of others. She examined it closely, aware that it must have been some sort of fruit or vegetable. The stem on one side gave away that it must have come from a tree or the ground, but it wasn't something she had ever laid eyes on.

"It's a pear." Vash's voice startled her and she dropped the piece of fruit she was holding on the ground. Vash smiled as he bent down to pick it up, "sorry did I scare you?" He asked as he handed it back to her.

"You just startled me," she muttered quickly grabbing what she recognized for herself and the others.

"Meryl we have to talk," Vash said as he realized she was trying to rush herself along to get away from him.

"I don't think we do."

"Yes we do because you don't trust me, and that hurts!"

"How can I! You wouldn't if you were me."

"Mille does."

"Mille trusts everyone, she trusts your brother I'm sure."

"That's not putting a lot of faith in her."

"She'd understand."

"What can I do to make you see that it's really me? That Knives has no control over me?"

"I don't know…" Meryl said quietly as she grabbed a few of the pears Vash had talked about. "Are these editable?" She asked as a side note.

Vash nodded, "they're fruit and sweet, you'd like them, try it."

Meryl bit into the slightly hard, slightly soft fruit and made a face. "The insides good but I don't like the outside."

"Not everyone likes the skin," Vash said and continued with their previous conversation. "If you don't know how can you know its not me here in front of you?"

"Because you haven't been very Vash-like."

"Vash-like?"

"Bubbly, cheerful… even given the circumstances…"

"I've been cheerful!"

"That's not the only way to determine who you are Vash! If you really were Vash… you wouldn't have lost that fight. We wouldn't be in this situation, I wouldn't be worried about the safety of an entire population of people, I wouldn't have to fear for my life. I wouldn't be wondering if this meal is my last or what's to become of me. If you were Vash, you would have won. Not Knives." Meryl gave Vash a saddened look and walked off with the load of food in her arms.

She was met halfway by the opposite twin who stopped directly in front of her. Knives looked down at her with careful eyes; he had heard that entire conversation, Meryl was sure of it.

She watched suspiciously as he hefted part of her load from her arms, "I'll help you carry some of this." He said, walking ahead of her.

Setting the food in front of the group members who quickly muttered their gratitude he tuned them out and walked back to his shadowed oasis. He stood and watched them, while flicking his eyes back to his brother who was watching them as well.

'How dos she do it?' He wondered to himself. 'That guilt, the anxiety, the depression, they way he feels for what she says to him, the way it affects him, the way she controls him…'

Meryl watched with some relief as everyone happily ate their fill, she herself tried to be as enthusiastic about the meal they finally had in their possession, but it was hard. Because she couldn't shrug off the two pairs of eyes she felt boring into her back.

* * *

**AN:** It's a little late coming up, but it's up! I got distracted with exams and my birthday passing through. I'm 19 now! HUZZAH! Please read and review everyone, it'd make some nice belated birthday gifts! Oh and side note, what a smack in the face Meryl gave Vash, poor guy.

Yours truly,  
_Faery Goddyss :)_


	10. Like Eating Glass

**Prerogative **

_Like Eating Glass_

Vash had stood far to the side as he watched everyone eat and talk, noticing that they were very much unaware that they were being studied. Well, actually from the way Meryl ate as if it pained her to do so, he believed she probably knew they were all being watched. As he gazed at the group he became conscious that he too was hungry and his stomach grumbled as if to emphasize that fact. He contemplated going out and joining the group, but he didn't know if he wanted to be bothered with Meryl's hard stare. It saddened him how she felt toward him now, but being under her watch also unnerved him as it had months and months ago when they had first met.

He glanced over at his brother when he felt him approach. Knives said nothing but he was looking at the group of humans as well, with an unreadable expression on his face. Before Vash could open his mouth to say a word Knives held up two pears. Vash looked at them and took one, watching as his brother bit into another one; his gaze never wandering from the lethargic humans.

Happily filled and content the group started to spread themselves out slightly, laying down on the cool grass. The evening was setting in and the exhaustion that had left them momentarily as they ate hungrily, returned ten fold as they finished. As each started to drift off to sleep one by one, Meryl and Mille stayed up as they talked quietly amongst themselves. Millie was talking of how sleeping in the geo plant reminded her of the time her entire family had slept outside to witness a meteor shower.

Millie laughed at the memory, "it was so funny Meryl. Every single one were huddled together outside to watch it and every single one of us fell asleep and no one even saw it. Do you remember that shower?"

"Yeah," Meryl nodded, responding quietly.

"Where were you when it happened?"

Meryl frowned deeply as Millie asked, "I was working, so I didn't see it either."

Millie sighed, "it's a shame, but there's bound to be another one some day soon."

"Not for another 55 years," came Knives' impassive voice.

Both girls turned around and watched as he approached them with Vash at his side. Meryl tensed at the sight of the two of them and glanced at the group. By this time everyone was fast asleep and for that she was grateful. She turned her attention back to the plant twins and watched carefully as they both sat down. Vash took a comfortable seat beside Millie, and Knives sat as far from them as possible but still being within talking distance.

"How do you know that Mr. Knives?" Millie asked the plant curiously.

Knives said nothing at first as he studied her. It was the first time Millie had spoken directly to him and from the lack of fear that came from her voice; he wondered if she was just as ignorant to whom he was as the rest of the group. He sneered at her as he answered, deciding rather quickly he didn't care for her. "I just do."

"It sort of has to do with our senses," Vash said having scowled at his brother before turning to Millie. "We can sense when the next one is coming, kind of like when some people can sense when it's going to rain before it does."

"But to sense rain 55 years in advance?" Meryl asked dryly, speaking for the first time. The three of them each looked at her with a different look. Millie's was simple acknowledgement of her friends question, Vash's was grim and Knives' was plain irritation. "It isn't exactly human," she finished.

Vash looked over at his brother to gauge his reaction, but Knives' irritation had turned to indifference, "I never expected a compliment from you."

Knives and Meryl stared hard and almost unblinking at each other until, even Millie sensed the lingering danger at Meryl's actions.

"Meryl, we should sleep," she interrupted the thick silence.

"Yes, do sleep," Knives repeated, standing abruptly.

"Where're you going?" Vash asked his brother.

"Where I go is hardly any of your concern Vash, but I've been in a spiders presence too long for one afternoon. I don't need the time to spread into the evening as well."

"Spiders?" Both Millie and Meryl voiced in question.

Knives ignored their question and walked back into the shadows of the geo plant. Once he had disappeared from view Meryl turned her attention back to Vash and repeated her one word question.

"Spiders?"

Vash darted his eyes to the side and rubbed the back of his neck slightly as he told them of his brother's analogy sheepishly. Meryl scoffed in disgust and even Millie had a small frown on her normally cheery face.

"It isn't a particularly nice thing to say about people is it?" She asked.

"I doubt nice is what he was going for Millie," Meryl said to her friend as she fought off a yawn that finally overcame her. Spreading it to Millie who yawned loud and longer, Meryl decided it really was time to sleep. She said nothing as Vash nodded and laid nearby, as if he was part of the group.

"I always sleep out here," he vocalized, reading Meryl's thoughts. "Goodnight Insurance Girls," he said to the both of them; smiling when he heard Millie's cheerful response and sighing heavily when Meryl said nothing at all. He turned his back on the raven haired women and Millie as he hid his crossed fingers. Upon closing his eyes, his mind was invaded with his brother's voice.

"Last I checked you didn't particularly care for sleeping in the grass," Knives' icy tone filled his mind.

"Well I can't leave them alone," Vash retorted keeping his eyes closed.

Knives' chuckle filled Vash's head from every direction and his blood ran cold as it got heavier and seemingly darker. "You think you can protect them in the night Vash? You can't protect them at all need I remind you?"

"You'll never see me again if you harm them Knives," Vash warned.

"I'm aware and I'm still wondering if you're worth the trouble."

Even as Knives thought that to Vash they both knew, at this point, that it was an empty response. Knives still needed and wanted his brother around and they were both aware of that fact.

"Goodnight Knives," Vash finally thought to his brother before allowing himself to fall asleep just as he faintly heard his brother respond, "oh I think it will be a good night Vash."

-

He suddenly darted up to a sitting position and looked around. It had only been a dream, but this was real. He really was in a group of five other people, sleeping near The former Humanoid Typhoon. Their town really had been attacked only yesterday and he really had separated from his family, having been put in a group of the most fit and most able to access the town furthest away from where their own town had been. He truly was laying in the slight darkness, with only the moons to give off light in a gigantic geo plant made by the Stampede's twin brother.

But he had an odd feeling about that twin. He couldn't place it but he didn't trust him, not one bit. His instincts were telling him to leave this place and take his chances out wandering in the desert alone, and to do it right now while that… that _thing_ was still asleep.

Oh he had always had good instincts; all his life people told him so. They always said "well, Hank hasn't got much brains but that instinct of his. Hell! I'd follow it if it said to jump into a gorge." That's what people said about him and now was the first time in his life he had been ignoring them. He didn't want to leave anyone behind, especially those nice insurance ladies, but he wasn't the most vocal person so when they had come across the other twin he hadn't been able to say what he wanted to tell them. That running off on their own was their better bet.

Besides, his instincts had always told him that Vash was trust worthy. Therefore, he was competing with himself since Vash, someone to trust, was with his twin, someone not to trust.

He had opted to do what the majority decided to do, and they sided with going with Knives. That had been the twin's name, and what a name, he had thought. He couldn't think of anything more of a sign that said to _STAY AWAY_ than that name. It had been him who had voiced, "His name is Knives?" and it had been his question, his only question that had been ignored.

And while the twin had led them to this geo plant where there was food and drink, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were probably only buying their time. That twin, that thing, was out to get them, whatever it was. For he knew Knives wasn't human. He may look human and talk human but Hank knew he wasn't.

So did that make Vash inhuman? Probably, but he could trust Vash, so he didn't care. It was his brother that made his hair stand on end. His eyes were too bright, filled with too much of something unnatural. His voice was too sharp, his very well aura glowed unnaturally, but Hank had said nothing.

Something inside of him stirred and he realized that he had to use the bathroom, only, he looked around. He wasn't sure where he ought to go. He stood and glanced at the group, everyone was still fast asleep, even Vash who was snoring. Making his way slowly to the edge of the geo, resting his hand on the cool metal walls he followed them all around until he was back where he had started. He hadn't run into anything. They were only in a round bowl without a top, but he could have sworn he'd seen Knives retreat into these very shadows.

Even the shorter haired insurance girl had gone into them and came back with an armload of food, so where were the doors and other rooms?

He tried again, going slower this time and using both hands as he blindly felt for a knob or a crease, anything that could mean another room was somewhere in this plant. He really had to use the bathroom.

He got to where he started again. Nothing, not even a crease. What the hell was going on? He _knew _he had seen Knives, the insurance girl and Vash go back here and disappear into more than just shadows. He tightened his muscles slightly and sighed in defeat, he didn't have a choice he'd have to go near one of the trees that was in the geo. He chose one that was as far from the group as possible and went behind the trunk in case anyone did wake up and see him.

Sighing in relief when he was done, he zipped up his pants and turned to head back to sleep, figuring he'd tell the group about the situation tomorrow. Maybe he was just too sleepy to realize where the doors were. Turning, he gasped and stumbled back, almost falling into the spot where he had gone. Knives was standing directly in front of him. The blonde twin was staring at him, but Hank couldn't properly see him in the dimness, but he could tell Knives wasn't happy.

He watched as the twin looked behind him and glanced at the spot where had had urinated over the tree and gulped to himself. His instincts were telling him to run and he tried, but something was wrong. His body wasn't responding with his mind, and it wasn't because of surprise or fear, it was because he was being held there by, he looked at Knives to confirm it, yes by Knives.

"Disgusting," Knives muttered shaking his head at him.

"I-I couldn't find a restroom," Hank told him fear starting to well up inside of him.

"Then you should have gone outside in that giant wasteland," Knives said bitingly cold as he referred to the desert.

"I hadn't thought of that," Hank whispered his response.

"I can tell."

Hank watched as Knives suddenly smiled, but there was nothing happy or faintly amused about his smile.

"You have good instincts Hank, they make you far superior to the average human. It was rather careless of you to ignore them. You humans," Knives eyed him up and down. "When nature decides to give any of you a gift you completely ignore it."

Hank didn't waste time wondering how Knives knew his name or why he said humans as if he wasn't one. It's because he had always known he wasn't and this show of power was no surprise to him either, unfortunately it still frightened him.

"Come along _Hank_," Knives emphasized his name as if it personally disgusted him to say it. Hank fell forward as the hold that had been on his body released him, he tried to catch himself before he hit the ground but was unable to. When he felt his body start to absorb a wetness he knew he had fallen in his own body fluids. "We need to talk," Knives finished.

Hank whimpered softly unsure if it was because he was now covered in urine or because of the tone Knives when talking to him.

"It's just a talk," Knives responded quietly to his whimper. "But really…you should have listened to your instincts."

-

The first thing Vash realized when he woke was that something was not quite right, and as he watched the small group rise for the day he noticed what it was. They were one person short.

"Hey Meryl?" Millie asked awhile later that morning as everyone was eating a breakfast of more foreign fruit and bread.

"Hm?" Meryl asked, biting into a long yellow fruit. It was pretty good so long as you didn't eat its peel at all.

"Everyone's been talking about Mr. Hank."

"Hank?" Meryl questioned as she tried to remember him. "Oh… short, middle aged, going slightly bald, and not the most intelligent of people?"

"Meryl!"

"Well that is him isn't it Millie? What about him?"

Millie sighed and fidgeted slightly before she told her friend, "no one's seen him since yesterday." The tall brunette watched as the color drained from the petite women's face as she looked around, eyeing every person. Hank was definitely not in that group.

The two women exchanged looks before walking slowly to the group that had been whispering to each other. They stopped when the two approached.

"No one's really seen him this morning?' Meryl asked them and looked as every person shook their head.

"He was with us when we all fell asleep though," a woman said.

Meryl rushed a hand through her short hair, almost pulling wad out doing so.

"We're thinking he took off without the rest of us," said a man who was standing beside Millie.

"We are?" Meryl questioned darting her eyes to each person.

"Yeah. He was the restless type, the whole time we were here he was restless. It was dumb of him not to say anything to the rest of us though and since he's so dim witted he'll probably die out there," said another man.

"You shouldn't say that!" Millie scolded to the man who shrugged.

"It's the truth and if he does die out there it's his own fault. We have to stick together; he knows that, we all do. We don't know where in god's name we are!"

"That doesn't mean you have to wish for his death!" Said the woman.

"I'm not! I'm just saying that-"

Meryl tuned out the bickering bunch and turned to see Vash far in the corner of the geo sitting by himself in the grass, pulling out random strands as if in a daze. She abruptly walked away from the group, and approached him. He looked up at her his eyes wet with tears. She swallowed a lump in her throat.

"Where is he?" She asked him, her voice sounding hoarse.

Vash shrugged and wiped his tears away with his sleeve, "I don't know. It probably has something to do with _him_."

For some reason, at that moment she believed Vash. Meryl didn't take the time to try to explain the sudden thought of believing that he was on their side. It was simple to her, those tears were Vash tears. Not even she believed Knives could make his brother cry in only the way he did. As if he was personally responsible for the missing man.

Falling down to her knees, Vash looked up at her surprised. "I didn't believe you… I'm… I'm sorry Vash."

He reached out to her, to touch her shoulder but she drew away slightly, "it's okay." He told her.

"But its not. We're supposed to be friends. Millie knew it was you all along how come I didn't? Why couldn't I believe you?" She looked away when she felt something hot in her eyes, she wasn't going to cry. Meryl Stryfe cried for few things, and this could not be one of them. She had to be stronger than this. "It's because I didn't want to think you'd lost, to say you lost would be to admit things weren't going to get better. Confirming your loss confirmed that Knives won and the bad guys never win Vash, not in the end."

"Than it's not the end," Vash said firmly.

Meryl looked back at him and studied his blue eyes. They were still bristling with tears but even she couldn't pretend not to see the ferocity in them. She nodded numbly and glanced back at the group that had finally stopped bickering and were now talking quietly in a far more social manner.

"Vash what's going to happen to us?" She asked, still not looking in his direction and frankly she didn't want to. Just in case his eyes gave away any lie he had prepared.

He didn't respond right away, but then she heard him sigh, "I don't know."

Meryl didn't like the answer, but she accepted it. At least now they could be uncertain together again. She got up from her knees, and hesitated as she saw Vash stand with her. She decided against hugging him as was her original plan and simply gave him a tight smile, which he returned.

"I'm going to talk to Knives," Vash said and she nodded silently, walking back to the group after giving his hand a quick good luck squeeze.

Knives stood in the darkness watching as his brother approached him. For some reason he hadn't been able to hear the conversation Vash had been having with that female, and that irked him. 'Vash must have found the way to block me,' he thought to himself.

"Good morning," Knives said once his brother had stopped directly in front of him.

"Where is he?" Vash responded.

"Not even a good morning back? Where are your morning pleasantries Vash? The humans got you forgetting your manners?"

"This is just a game to you isn't it Knives! Where _is _he?" Vash seethed out.

His mirror didn't even bat an eye, "where's who?"

"You know who, Hank."

"Ah, the one everyone was gossiping about this morning. How should I know? Perhaps he went out for a jog." Knives flicked off a small piece of sand from his shoulder. "He certainly could use one."

Vash laughed lightly to himself, causing Knives to lift his eyebrows. Without warning Vash had pushed him into the metal wall, pinning him there. He slammed his fist dangerously close to Knives' face, "what have you done with him Knives?"

Knives narrowed his eyes, "this is no longer amusing. Let go of me."

"Not until you tell me what you did with Hank."

"And if I don't? What will you do to me? Nothing," he hissed out. "Because you can't. I, on the other hand, can and will if you don't let me go. Don't make me take out any further frustrations on the others."

Knives had him there and he knew it. Vash slowly released his hold on his brother. He turned sharply and began to walk away before Knives grabbed him by the shoulder.

"I haven't killed him if that's what you're concerned about."

Vash slowly faced his brother again, "you promise?"

A short breeze filtered through the geo plant as Knives and Vash stared at each other, waiting for Knives' response.

"Yes brother, I promise."

* * *

**AN: **:waves: Hello. I haven't watched Trigun in over a year and I have moved on. I was going to stop, but I really can't. It's hard for me to leave something unfinished. The last chapters won't be like past chapters because I don't exactly remember everyone's personalities or Trigun for that matter. At any rate thanks to everyone who kept on reviewing and mailing me, giving me notes of luck and urging me to continue, it helps so much. I don't know why there was a sudden surge of reviews for my Trigun stories but it has inspired me to keep writing… for a bit longer anyway. Well, I hope this chapter was okay, I actually like it. 

On another note, I think I might have to start actually naming the people in the group, I'm starting to confuse myself. Has anyone happened to figure out how many people are in it besides Millie and Meryl? I'm pretty sure it's not easy to determine, cool points to those who can.

_Faery Goddyss :)_


	11. Don't Forget to Look Up

**Prerogative**

_Don't Forget to Look Up_

As Vash made his way back to the group, he started to pick up on bits of their conversation, and already his heart was beating hard at what he was hearing.

Meryl turned to look at him, but said nothing as she averted her eyes to Knives, who to her displeasure was looking straight at her. She felt a shiver run through her body when he smiled at her before turning away and walking back into the darkness that he seemed to favor so much.

'What in the hell was that?' She thought to herself, 'that was the creepiest smile I've ever seen.'

"Leave now?" Vash's voice snapped her back into the conversation the group was having.

'Unfortunately I don't feel quite like letting anyone go at the moment Vash. The first to go is the first to die.' Knives' voice floated into Vash's mind.

"Yeah why not? We're fully rested, and fed. We need to get going to that next town; everyone will be waiting to hear from us." One of the men pointed out.

Vash studied the five people in front of him. Millie and Meryl were the only ones to notice his eyebrows furrow in concern, the two other men and additional woman hadn't caught his look.

"What's wrong Mr. Vash you don't look so well?" Millie voiced before everyone turned to look at Vash in question.

As they all stared at him a few gasps were let out as Vash's eyes rolled to the back of his head and as he suddenly fell to the ground. They all bent down around him alarmed.

"Vash, what the hell, are you alright?!" Meryl asked loudly bending down close to him.

Vash mumbled something and the group looked at each other in confusion. No one had heard what he said.

"What was that?" Meryl asked leaning further toward him, presenting her ear closer to his mouth.

"I said, Knives won't let anyone go," Vash muttered and then faked a groan and dizzy spell as he dropped his head back to the ground.

"Goodness, what did he say?" The woman asked after seeing Meryl's alarmed look.

"Oh um," Meryl thought quickly. "He said he's in horrible pain."

"Pain? Well I've been trained in some basic aid." One of the men said.

"You have?" Both Meryl and Vash said together. Everyone glanced at Vash whose eyes had re-opened.

The man in question raised his eyes at Vash who immediately went back to groaning in pain.

Knives looked at his brother in pure disgust. 'Ugh, what an idiot you're such a disgrace to me,' he thought to himself as he watched his brother's performance. "Just what do you think you're doing Vash?" He added out loud opening a door that was to the side. He closed it firmly behind him and sat down on the only free chair in the room. He stared at the small table in front of him, crossing his legs, as he planned his next move.

He gingerly picked up a piece and lifted it from the board, not hesitating as he placed it back down. He stared at where he had placed his piece a moment before he muttered, "check," quietly.

He looked at his opponent who sat in his chair unmoving, but sitting up straight staring ahead mindlessly.

'Hmm, interesting,' Knives thought as he stared back at Hank resting his titled head on his hand.

Back in the main part of the geo, Vash was poked and probed as the others watched to the side.

"I wonder what is the matter with him is." Millie asked to Meryl who was beside her.

The petite woman thought back to what Vash had just told her "_Knives won't let anyone go." _She released a long sigh of worry.

'I think deep down I knew it wouldn't be this easy,' Meryl thought to herself. 'Not with him in charge. How am I going to convince everyone to stay here? Can't very well tell them that if they leave something will happen to them.' She bit her lip in frustration and only came out of her reverie when she realized Millie was shaking a hand in front of her.

"Oh, sorry Millie, what did you say?"

Millie's eyes were creased with worry, "I said I wonder what's the matter with Mr. Vash, but now I'm wondering what's the matter with you? What's going on Meryl is there something I should know about?"

Meryl had never informed Millie of everything Vash had told her the day he had left for that final battle with his brother. Millie hadn't pressed the subject as she had been informed of the basics. That Vash had an old score to settle with his brother. She didn't want to alarm her by telling her Knives' nature or what he was known for. She imagined she could carry the worry and fear for the both of them. But now she felt, that maybe she ought to fill Millie on a little more of the situation, especially with Knives claiming they couldn't leave.

Grabbing her elbow, she discreetly pulled her to the side and told her everything Vash had ever told her and their current condition. Even when Meryl had watched Millie's face pale, even though Millie had looked off for a moment, even when she had whimpered at some of the facts, Meryl told her everything.

"We can't stay here Meryl!" Millie finally was able to voice in fear.

"We don't have a choice Millie," Meryl told her calmly.

"How can you be so calm about this? Why didn't you tell me earlier? He's a murderer, all the missing people and, and Mr. Wolfwood! He caused all that! How can you have just sat here, just last night having a normal conversation with that evil man!"

"Millie calm down!" Meryl said grabbing her friend by the shoulders. Shushing her before anyone heard her slight hysterics. "I'm calm because I have to be. You don't think I'm not shivering inside with pure terror do you? Of course I'm scared, I'm terrified! But there isn't anything we can do, Knives won that last fight so he's in control. If he says to stay here…" she sighed. "Then for now at least, we have to stay here."

"Meryl, I can't! We can't! What if…how are we going to get everyone to stay?"

Meryl bit her lip and looked over to the group still watching Vash curiously. "I'm not sure. Vash's distraction will only last so long. After that man has proved that he's okay, they'll want to leave again."

Meryl would have continued her attempts to reassure her friend if it hadn't been for seeing Knives' figure emerge from the darkness. Millie saw that her eyes were fixed on something behind her and she turned her head, tensing and almost yelping when she saw him.

"Millie!" Meryl said forcefully making the more timid women focus her eyes back on her. "You're not alone okay; we're going to get through this in one piece." She said firmly and watched in satisfaction as Millie nodded her head. 'I'm not sure how,' she found herself thinking. 'But somehow we will, I know we will.'

"Well I can't find anything wrong with him, it's probably just a simple stomach ache Vash," the man announced and Meryl and Millie turned their attentions back to him, attempting to ignore the fact that Knives was walking toward their little group.

"Do you think you'll be okay to walk?" the other woman in the group asked with concern.

"He looks fine to me," the other man said. A significantly younger and taller man whose eyes were falling onto Knives. "And hey, is it just me or is it getting darker?"

"That's because I'm closing the roof of the plant."

Vash, Meryl and Millie, as well as the other three turned to look at Knives, hearing his drawl.

"You can do that?" The younger man asked, but Knives didn't really respond as he looked at his brother.

"Yes, I can."

"Why are you doing that?" Vash asked, sitting up, his "stomach ache" already long forgotten.

"There is a sand storm brewing outside. I don't want it to contaminate the plant."

"A sandstorm?" The older man who had been examining Vash asked, standing up with a frown.

"Yes."

"Then we're stuck here for awhile longer," the women said. "We can't travel outside in that."

"Maybe it won't last long," the older man put in helpfully.

"Perhaps, but it may last days, maybe even weeks." Knives said quietly fixing his gaze at Vash.

"Perfect, now everyone's going to think we've died," the young man said flatly, dropping himself to the ground in a pout.

"Since we're going to be here for maybe awhile we should get to know each other," Millie said, trying her best to regain her cheerful composure. "I'm Millie Thompson, Claims Investigator!" She turned with a smile to Meryl who gave her a small one back.

"Right, I'm Meryl Stryfe also a Claims Investigator."

"What exactly does a claims investigator do?" The younger man asked seemingly uninterested.

"We investigate claims," Meryl told him annoyed, decided she didn't care much for his young attitude. "Claims made by the people."

"Our last mission was actually on Mr. Vash!" Millie said with a grin, looking at the blonde who laughed.

"You're really not what I imagined you to be Mr. Vash," the other woman said with a soft smile.

"He never is," Meryl added.

Vash beamed, "I'll go next then. I'm Vash, and really you don't have to add the Mr., and I don't really do much… I'm in between jobs at the moment."

"You don't have a last name?" The young man asked, raising a dark eyebrow.

"Not that I recall… nope."

"Uh huh, well I'm Adrian Vettadini. My parents own most of the hotels spread out over the planet, I'll take over when my old man kicks the bucket."

"That sounds nice," Millie said with a smile.

"Yes, it's so nice having life all nicely wrapped and chosen for you."

"No need to be sarcastic Adrian, I'm Olivia Miy, a school teacher."

"And uh, I'm George Miller. I help work the sand steamers and occasionally I help the doctors on the steamers."

Everyone turned to Knives who was sitting the farthest from the group, "Knives, that's all any of you need to know."

"You really created this geo plant and all by yourself?" Olivia asked curiously as she eyed Knives.

The plant in question spared her a quick glance before nodding slightly, "I did."

"It's beautiful," she responded with a smile as she looked around the lush plant.

"…nearly. There are still a few…kinks, I need to work out."

"Like what, seems damn fine to me," Adrian spoke up, never to allow a conversation to stray too far without his involvement.

Knives stared hard at Adrian, narrowing his eyes at the younger man, "it currently has a spider infestation problem."

"Ugh, spiders?!" Adrian grimaced as he shot back up into a standing position looking around him.

"My thoughts exactly," Knives replied with a smirk. "But don't worry, I'm currently dealing with the problem as we speak. In fact I'm quite sure I've already caught the smartest one of them all. It will be easy to be rid of the rest."

While Adrian, George, and Olivia, nodded in relief, Vash, Meryl, and Millie exchanged looks of fright.

A slight rattle caught everyone's attention and for some reason they all glanced up, except for Knives who eyed them carefully.

"What was that?" George muttered.

The roof of the geo was now closed and though they could not find the source of light, given that there were no windows in the geo, it still seemed as if they were outside.

"Probably the sandstorm getting underway, I have a feeling it's going to be brutal," Knives answered the man.

"I hope everyone out there has safely made it to nearby towns," Millie said worriedly as she thought of all the townspeople they had to send off in different directions.

"I'm sure they have, they didn't have nearly as far a walk as we did," Meryl reassured her friend.

"Hey, just how far away are we from –" Adrian cut off his question when he realized the man he was aiming the question at was no longer in sight. "Where did he go?" He asked referring to Knives.

The rest of the group tore their eyes from the ceiling and looked around, Knives was nowhere to be seen.

"That's…odd," Olivia muttered and Meryl and Millie glanced at Vash who only shook his head.

"What should we do to pass the time?" Meryl asked suddenly deciding it was best if she took everyone's mind off the plant who had more or less vanished before their eyes. 'Focus on unimportant things,' she told herself. It would be better that way.

While they all gathered and decided on a nice game of cards while telling tales about each other's lives, Vash sneaked off, after giving Meryl a slight nod.

'Keep an eye on your brother,' Meryl sent the message through her eyes and Vash understood it well, agreeing with her full heartedly. He walked toward the shadows allowing them to envelope him as he searched for his brother.

Unbeknownst to the group the geo plant was far larger than they supposed it to be. While there was the greenery, where they were currently residing, there were plenty of backrooms, most locked which Vash had no access to, but just as many were unlocked. The unlocked rooms, save one, held nothing inside. It did nothing to ease Vash's nerves, because Knives never did or made anything that had no purpose. These empty rooms would serve a purpose he just didn't know what, and he didn't like that.

"Knives!" He called out for his brother, walking in a few of the empty rooms and closing the doors when he didn't find his other half. When he turned from a particular door he wasn't surprised when Knives was directly in front of him.

It seemed he preferred the disappearing and reappearing act. Vash was quite capable of doing the same thing, but he preferred to walk and be heard while he did so. It made him seem more human. Knives on the other hand embraced everything that made him what he really was.

"What now?" Knives questioned, the annoyance in his voice not lost on Vash.

"Hank," Vash started and was cut off.

"Is alive, I promised he would be."

"Let me see him then."

"No," Knives replied simply.

"Why not?" Vash asked through clenched teeth.

"Because you wouldn't like what you would see, and I really don't feel like being lectured by you."

Vash narrowed his eyes at his brother's vague answer, "what did you do to him?" He hissed.

Knives smiled, "I made him useful, that's all."

"And your idea of useful is?"

"None of your concern, at least not yet. Don't worry brother I'll clue you in, or maybe you'll even find out on your own, just don't do anything rash like try to enter locked rooms. You're my brother and I'd rather not hurt you. Your humans are calling for you Vash," Knives said with slight disgust as he turned and made his way into a room closing it behind him.

"Uh, Knives!" Vash made to open the door to go after his brother, but found that it was locked. He knew no amount of banging on the door would make his brother answer it so he sighed in defeat and retreated back to the greenery. He would get his brother to answer more of his questions the next time they talked he decided. He didn't like being in the dark, especially when his brother was up to no good.

That in itself made him nervous. Knives was, yes, a little more secretive then most, but eventually he made his plans known to him. Unfortunately as past experience had taught Vash, such information was always made known when it was nearly too late to do anything about it. And there was no doubt in his mind that whatever Knives was up to, would take a toll on the small group of humans he was with.

He hated having to even think it, but he had a very very bad feeling.

**AN: **Hmm…I liked this chapter so much I actually got more ideas for Prerogative, and I realize not much of anyone reads this fanfic anymore, but I think it's a second favorite of mine. Writing Knives as diabolical is great fun and I seem to have forgotten that. Anyway, there is more to come believe it or not! Maybe I won't discontinue it after all.

_Faery Goddyss_


	12. Trial and Error

**Prerogative**

_Trial and Error_

Knives looked over his results and frowned. They were better than they had been before, but still not what he had been hoping for. It seemed as if he had miscalculated again and that frustrated him. He couldn't figure out what he needed to do differently to get the desired results.

"Checkmate," said a dull soft voice.

Papers in hand Knives turned surprised not at the deadness in the voice but of what it had said. He dropped the papers he held on the small counter and walked over to the table where Hank had just made his move, ending the game. Knives looked at the board carefully.

"Indeed," he muttered quietly as he glanced at Hank who was still, as always, looking straight ahead with a void expression that would never change. "How…unusual," he voiced at the slightly overweight man.

Perhaps he should have been infuriated at the fact that he had lost his favored game to such a human. But rather, it intrigued him that this man, with his unnatural instincts, and yet dumb as a post had beaten him. He wondered what Vash would say if he knew. He frowned at the thought. Vash probably wouldn't say anything, just stare with that meaningful gaze of his.

There were only two to ever beat Knives at chess, and that was his brother and that dead woman he loved so much. The only two who had been capable of throwing off his plans. And as he was not one to discard things as mere coincidence, that was a human belief, he decided not to tell his brother. Instead he reset the chess pieces and gestured for Hank to make the first move.

The man did so automatically, instinctively.

It caused Knives to look back at the man and away from the board.

That was it.

He smiled. He _knew_ this man would be useful, even in his everlasting new silence. Forgetting the move he had to make he walked back over to the counter and began reformulating his plan. Maybe if he…he grinned, though to anyone else it might have looked slightly insane.

He should have thought of it sooner, it made perfect sense. Why _wouldn't_ it work?

Knives set to work right away, he didn't care what time it was, it didn't matter anyway. Things were working under his schedule, but the faster the better. His utopia was this much closer to becoming a reality.

He grabbed a test tube and filled it with a few grains of sand. Then he added his usual ingredients with one slight difference. The amount of the new ingredient would be trial and error until he could decide on the correct dosage. With added heat he stood and watched.

If he was known for manic laughter now would have been the time to partake in it. Instead he smirked as he watched the test tube give him the results he had been looking for. But while it all worked out well, he didn't hold his hopes too high. He would have to do many more tests, and more importantly he had to make sure his new ingredient could be used only one time and that it wouldn't be necessary for constant usage as he would eventually run out of it. Unless…no. He shook the idea out of his head as he would not want to have to do that. It would defeat the purpose of his main plan.

Either way he was pleased to know that the next big step in his plan was successful. Now that this was completed, all he had to do now was inform his brother. But he had to be creative in how he did it, simply coming out and telling him wasn't particularly entertaining.

"That woman," he muttered, thinking of her raven hair and petite stature. "She'll do," he nodded to himself.

But before he went about doing that…

He walked back over the small table and sat down, his own grace not being lost on even himself. He studied the chess board and lingered a hand over a pawn, thinking quickly of a strategy, trying to recall the mistakes he had made before that had lost him the game.

"E6," he said and watched with a bit of glee as Hank's hand moved automatically like it had before. "I won't lose this time," he said to the man, and went back to concentrating.

-

Out in the geo's greenery the group was lazing around, a few talking idly but most doing nothing except to lay on the grass. They could still hear the raging winds of the sandstorm outside, but they were getting antsy. Even for the ones who knew nothing about the true situation they were in, sensed something wasn't quite right.

"What kind of sandstorm _is _that?!" Adrian finally spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. "We've been here for five damn days! This kind of thing is supposed to blow over, it's acting completely unnatural!"

Meryl, Millie, and Vash exchanged looks.

"It hasn't been that bad Mr. Vettadini," Millie piped back, trying her best to not let her cheerful façade fall. "We've gotten to get to know each other, we've gotten to play a lot of card games and we-"

"And it's been boring. Shouldn't we just try to go through the sandstorm? People must thing we're never coming back! Suppose our families and friends move on and settle away from us!" He interrupted Millie, frustrated at her words.

"Adrian they're not going to just leave us, I'm sure at some point, once the storm settles people will come looking for us," Olivia answered him lightly. "There's no point in getting worked up over it, and we are most definitely not going out in that storm. It'd suffocate us for sure."

"Either way I'm bored. Vash," he looked over at the blonde plant who had been listening disheartened to their conversation. He figured at some point he would have to tell them, that they might never be able to leave this geo plant, but he wasn't ready for that yet.

"What is it?" Vash questioned back.

"Where's your brother been, we haven't seen him in the five days since the storm started."

All eyes turned to Vash and he held himself from flinching at the inquiring gazes. "He's been…busy."

"Busy doing what?" George, the older man asked curiously.

"Busy experimenting," Knives answered for himself. He strolled lazily out into the geo, stopping only to frown at a flower that was crumbled on the grass. "Why has my flower been ruined?" He asked quietly looking over the small group of people.

"Oh, that," Adrian said listlessly, as his own eyes fell on the little daisy. "I stepped on it by accident," he glanced up at Knives, not seeming too apologetic.

"Then you should watch where you walk," Knives answered back simply, but even so a minor hint of irritation, mixed with _something_… caused Adrian to nod his head slowly and mutter a quiet almost frightened apology.

The rest of the group stared silently at the younger and more egotistical young man, who had been easily put in his place for something has trivial as the crushing of an insignificant flower.

"The storm will be over in three days," Knives announced, cutting through the silence aggressively and causing everyone, save Vash to jump in surprise.

"How do you know?" Olivia dared to ask.

Knives turned his eyes to her, before they, oddly enough, fell on Meryl, "I have a feeling is all."

Meryl only met his gaze for a bit before she turned away facing the ground flushed and angered. 'Damn him to hell for playing these games with us!' She thought angrily.

'You don't like games?' A voice questioned her and she gasped at the sound of Knives voice in her head. She whipped her head back at him and her eyes widened in surprise and fear at her sudden and new surroundings.

"Wh-where are we, where are the others?" She demanded, but even she could hear the high pitched panic in her voice.

She was standing alone with Knives in what looked to be a cement room, it certainly felt like one, but she wasn't sure if it was the cold of the room that made her shiver or Knives' intense gaze. There was no furniture, only a door, and she found herself aching to head toward it, but she remained where she was. Not out of want, but because even before she attempted a step she knew she wouldn't be allowed to go through that door. It was just another teasing mechanism and she clenched her fists together. She hated being toyed with!

"I want to go back with the others!" She raised her voice, controlling the fear, and only allowing her anger to show.

"As far as the others are concerned you _are _with them," Knives finally spoke. He smiled at her, "as for where we are, it's just a small simple image of a room in the backs of the geo plant."

"I-image?" She shook out.

"Yes, image," Knives offered no further explanation.

"What do you want with me, with us?" She asked after a very long and uncomfortable silence. Knives wasn't saying anything, just staring at her…smiling gently, like they were friends.

"Interestingly enough, I hadn't had much use for any of the others, save you, until a few hours ago…though it might have been days…one loses track when there's no windows," he muttered. "In any case, you all do serve a purpose now…" Knives stood there thoughtfully as if pondering something and Meryl wondered if he really was.

"Even I have to sit back and think every so often," he sneered at her, starting to laugh. "Hank," he suddenly stopped laughing, and the name he uttered caused Meryl to widen her eyes and interrupt him before she could stop herself.

"Where is he?!"

Knives eyed her curiously, "he's fine, far better off. Hank is a very instinctual human, quite rare really, and it's his instincts that he should have listened too. Adrian," he began remembering the brash dark haired, slightly tanned skin man who had stepped on his flower without a care. "Is rebellious, but no doubt can be very obedient when forced too…Olivia," he smiled. "Has a fair intelligence and is rather reasonable, George is useful, your friend, Millie…has a rare compassion. They are all very interesting traits. Each human is a little different from the next, yet they are all interconnected. And you," he stared harder at her. "You have control over Vash, an admiral trait in itself, and the best one out of you five."

"…I don't have control over him," Meryl said quietly, her mind running with why Knives bothered to remember all their names, why he had paid attention to their personalities….

"But you do. Whether it's because you are the first human he's told our past too, whether it's because he sees you as a dear friend…or something more, is of no matter to me. What I care about is that you do have control over him. Something I have yet to obtain, even now, in this current situation he still tries to defy me."

Knives stopped for a second, thinking on his twin. "Vash is stubborn and reluctant, but he can be broken, I'm sure of it." He didn't bother to add to the woman that she would be the main puzzle piece to ensure that, he liked to think her mildly intelligent and figured she'd reach the conclusion all on her own.

"And I'm being told all this why?" Meryl gritted her teeth together.

"So you can relay it to Vash."

"Tell him yourself," she bit back.

"Don't forget who you're talking to," he said lightly and smiled as he saw the realization pop back onto her still young face. "Follow me," he said and turned his back on her making for the door.

Meryl hesitated, 'where is he taking me?'

"There is such little point in thinking personal thoughts as I hear them all," Knives responded as he turned back to her, holding the door open for her. She scowled but stopped outside the door, next to him. The door led into blackness and she glanced at Knives. He raised an eyebrow at her and she swallowed her apprehension and went through the door.

A moment later she was joined with Knives. She looked around, noticing the blackness had faded and was replaced with a dim light that lit a short corridor, home of five doors. Besides that, there was nothing else.

"Each of these doors holds one thing, or, will hold one thing. For now they are empty, save a few machines. Would you like to see it?"

Meryl knew it was a not a question truly aimed at her and she watched as Knives opened the closest door. She took a tentative step into the room and looked over it confused. It looked like a plant bulb.

"It's a plant bulb…or something similar."

"Yes," Knives nodded. "All the rooms have them, but as you have noticed they are not made to encase my brethren, rather…" He turned his head slowly to look at her, "they have everything necessary to hold a human in a living, but permanently catatonic state, while withdrawing valuable nutrients from their bodies, until there's nothing left to withdraw. Interesting isn't it?"

"…how many of these do you have?"

"Five."

Meryl turned around slowly to face Knives. When she faced him their eyes met and he stood at her unblinking.

"Come with me," he said and turned leaving the room and returning to the corridor.

Meryl cast a last glance at the room and left to follow Knives. She wasn't entirely surprised to see that the corridor that had just walked out of was not the same one as before. In fact rather than walk into a hallway they walked into a room and Meryl's eyes widened as she saw Hank sitting at a small table that held a chess board.

"Hank!" She called out, forgetting momentarily about Knives as she rushed forward to the man. She stopped before him and stared at his face. He wasn't blinking, and he kept his eyes forward. "Hank…" she muttered his name again this time softly and a little unsure. "What has he done to you?" She whispered.

"At first I simply trapped his own thoughts, it would make him far more agreeable, and less troublesome for me. Now though, he's proving to be of physical use," Knives cut in, not at all bothered by what she had said about him.

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"It's simple really, I'm almost embarrassed I didn't think of it sooner," Knives took the chair opposite of Hank and sat down, eyeing the board. Naturally Hank had already made his move and he glanced at his own pieces curiously before speaking again. "As you are very much aware you…_humans_, have been using plants as a means of energy and resources in a rather barbaric fashion, wouldn't you agree?"

Meryl opened her mouth to protest, but of course she was cut off before she could say a word, "my hatred toward you, I believe, is rather justified. My wanting of revenge is only natural, you humans ought to take your punishment and die. But," he paused. "At the same time, whether you live or die, I would still be left here on this desert. Not particularly ideal. Two suns is a bother, and they help to ensure the desert says a desert. I have no intention on living in such a wasteland, and for quite some time I've been – interesting move," Knives cut off his own sentence as he had made a chess move and watched as Hank did so.

Meryl jumped when she saw Hank move. With the way his eyes were, and his body she had figured there was nothing left in him. But he had moved…to make a chess move.

"Where was I?" Knives muttered to himself as he glanced at Meryl momentarily. "Hmm, oh yes, for some time now I've been trying to figure out means to make this entire planet as lush as this geo. It's been difficult I admit. The geo was easy enough as it's an encased structure, a…greenhouse if you will. I can control the climate, but an entire planet? You can see where my problems arose. Prior to a time ago I had been experimenting with a number of plant fibers, and my own tissues to see if there was any way to infuse my bodies interesting physiology with that of the actual plant fibers. I've been looking for a serum that could be used to make this planet worthy of me. I haven't had much luck." Knives eyed Meryl to be sure that she was listening, to his amusement she was, intently. Almost as if she was taking mental notes.

"Until recently that hadn't changed, and it was our dear friend Hank here that inspired the change. He's an instinctual human, and I wondered, if such…traits could be used in lieu of a plant fiber. And not traits per se," he added thoughtfully. "But more…nutrients. Human bodies, like the bodies of other animals belong to the planet and when you die you return to it as the dirt you once were, physically. I wondered if infused with a few other prime ingredients if the human body could act as a fertilizer…would you like to guess the results?"

Meryl only stared at him, choosing to rather hear him say it then question it herself.

"It does work, wonderfully," Knives smiled. "There are still tests to run, things to make sure of, but I'm rather confident that everything will work out fine. So you see, you are all of great use, which is almost ironic isn't it? That every human will play an important role in my utopia? It's a fitting reparation really, giving back to the planet when you scorned and destroyed your last one."

As Knives studied Meryl's reaction he was a little surprised to see she was shaking, more so because he wasn't sure what it was due to, if it was unadulterated anger, or fear. Either way, neither reaction interested him and he raised his hand to wave her off in order to dismiss her.

"Go tell Vash," he said to her, and when Meryl blinked she was back in the geo plants greenery, very much aware of the five faces crowded around her in worry.

"Meryl?" Vash questioned when he saw a spark of life return to her grey eyes.

She blinked quickly as her eyes began to water. Meryl found herself taking deep inhales of air as she ignored the questions that were fired at her.

"What happened?" She thought that might have been George.

"Are you alright?" That had to have been Olivia.

"You scared the shit out of us," definitely Adrian.

"Oh Meryl…" the short whisper was Millie.

She flinched as she felt an arm rest on her shoulder and she looked up at Vash who gave her a sympathetic yet firm look. "What did he do?" He asked and Meryl turned her eyes to the small group. Millie, George, Olivia, and Adrian.

Not being able to look at them any longer she shook her head and buried her face in Vash's chest. How could she tell them, how could she even tell Vash their fate? She wasn't even entirely sure all the information had sunk in, rather for now she wanted to bury her head in Vash's chest and take comfort in him as he squeezed her in a gentle hug.

She would tell them all later, when she felt less tired and more like herself. Though, she wondered, if she would ever feel the same knowing what she did.

'How much longer?' She thought to herself, 'how much longer will he allow us to live?'

"I'm tired," she finally croaked out into Vash's chest.

The group studied each other as they all wondered about the shorter insurance woman. For almost a half hour she had been silent, staring ahead, unmoving as they called out to her. They had started to worry, and panic had been starting to fill them, when she suddenly blinked and came out of whatever trance she had been in. And now…now she was like this.

Each one of them eyed their surroundings wearily. The gorgeous plant, with its fragrant flowers, and its light animal life of butterflies and a few other miscellaneous, but harmless insects. The entire geo was pretty, and perfect…too pretty and too perfect. It had amazed them at first and now it was starting to settle uneasily in their systems.

Nothing was right about their condition, about the geo, about the sandstorm, and they were as a whole starting to realize it might have all to do with Vash's twin brother.

Brushing the others and their question filled eyes away Vash scooped Meryl up in his arms, and carried her to where she had been sleeping the past few days, with Millie walking beside him.

"Did she tell you everything?" Vash muttered to Millie as he tried to set Meryl down on the soft cooling grass.

Millie nodded silently as she knelt down beside Meryl who still refused to move her head from Vash's chest.

"Yeah," Millie responded quietly rubbing Meryl's back, willing her to lose her grip on Vash. "Mr. Vash?" Millie asked.

"Hm?" Vash responded.

"I'm really, really scared."

Vash nodded, "yeah," he cast his eyes down at Meryl who was starting to let him go to lean on the grass. "I…kinda am too. I'd be lying if I said otherwise. My brother…he really has a vendetta against humans, and I'm not sure if there's…anything I can do to stop him at this point. I'm not going to give up, but I worry."

Millie only nodded since she didn't know what else she could say. She eyed Meryl and eyed Vash as he suddenly stood up. "Mr. Vash?" She questioned curiously on his sudden behavior.

"I have to go find him," he muttered as he walked away, eventually being swallowed up by the shadows on the edges of the geo plant.

Vash stopped walking when he saw Knives leaning casually against the side, eyeing him. He narrowed his eyes at his twin realizing that Knives had probably seen and heard every exchange he had just had with the insurance girls and the rest of the group.

"Why did you…" Vash stopped and shook his head disgusted. Knives only told him why if he felt like telling him. Otherwise he would only get some half assed answer. Meryl in her state had been unable, and she looked unwilling to tell him what Knives had done to her. But there were ways around that. He didn't like having to invade her mind, but he had to find out what he had done to her. He didn't condone playing with people and their emotions, but that especially held true for one of his insurance girls and Knives had crossed the line repeatedly.

"Because," Knives began as she started to answer the unasked question. "It made my message more painful for you, to know she had to see and hear everything. It should remind you where you stand, and where you will forever stand. We're doing things my way and I only wanted to remind you there is absolutely nothing you can do about it, not this time."

"You're not going to use people as fertilizer," Vash growled out as he recalled the explanation he had drawn from Meryl's mind.

"But I am."

Vash slumped, "what do I have to do?"

"What do you mean?" Knives played dumb.

"What do I have to do to make you leave them alone?"

"Suppose I said you had to be my faithful servant till you died, more worthy than Legato had been?"

Vash didn't say anything.

Knives folded his arms and scoffed, "tempting, but not what I want. Stop begging, it's disgusting."

Vash closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, "what do you want from me?"

"The fact that you're asking pisses me off Vash, you know exactly what I want from you. You know I want your devotion to not only me, but my cause…I've told you time and time again that I'm doing this indirectly for the both of us. This utopia will be for us, and the freed plant angels."

"You're like talking to a brick wall," Vash scowled.

"I know the feeling," Knives bit back.

Vash turned on his heel and began to make his way back to Meryl, Millie, and the others. "Leave Meryl out of this Knives, I'm warning you."

Knives eyed his brother's back with hatred, "she'll be fine. It's the _others _you should cast your concern toward and you know it."

As Vash whipped around to glare at his other half he found Knives gone. Clenching his fists together he slammed the closest wall with his right fist in aggravation. He didn't do well with cat and mouse games.

-

**AN: **Thanks for the reviews everyone. Its nice to know people still read this.

As I have told many, if not all of you, who were kind enough to review, THIS is the last planned chapter. From here, we are in an unknown world. I don't know if I will discontinue. It's a mystery to all of us.

Oh, and I changed the genres. It had been romance/action and adventure, but now its suspense/action and adventure, so if you want out, you can leave. I think this story is better without it, besides if I did do romance it wouldn't be hetro, and since Legato is dead in this there won't even be shonen ai since I don't do the twincest thing. And I don't do original characters with Nightow's characters. I tend to really hate that.

_Faery Goddyss_


End file.
